Hope can sometimes be found in the unlikeliest of places. Another of our friends, once lost to darkness and despair, found his way out because of the relentless support of the ACE Team.

“Initially, with the ACE team, everything was up, up, up. They were always happy and excited to see me, and vibrant, and it’s just, it’s wore off on me. And like, I mean, like looking in a mirror: that reflection looks back at you. Today… they brought a lot to my life. If ACE no longer existed, I think I’d lose hope and I’d just fall down into that dark, ugly place, because for what they did for me in my life, it’s been a miracle. It’s been just— and they’ve given me so much belief, so much strength, so much encouragement, and I love what they do because… They’re angels.”

There are those in our community who feel unseen and unheard, for whom medications and illness overshadow everything. One of our friends speaks on the matter:

“Before ACE, I was very sickly and I also felt like people didn’t listen to me, or, I never had a chance to control my medications and say ‘Hey, wait, I don’t wanna take that combination because that makes me ill.’ ACE is very important to me because I want to remain in control of my life. I wanna remain off the streets.”

Now, she isn’t just a patient. She’s a woman rediscovering her passion for crafts, cherishing the bond she shares with the team.

“I didn’t think that I was going to have such a relationship with these ladies. And they’ve come to know me and my cat Bruce. And I feel as though they care about me, and I feel as though I care about them. I never thought it could benefit me in an emotional way, as well. Me and Bruce just love them, and they love Bruce.”

For some, pain becomes a daily routine, and hopelessness a constant companion. But beyond physical pain, forgetting or neglecting one’s medications can deepen the severity of the mental and emotional struggle, and lead to serious consequences for one’s personal health, as it did for one of our friends in the community.

That’s when the ACE Team steps in.

“Biggest benefit? Is making sure I’m alive. Okay? They keep me alive. Plain and simple. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”