James C.

His story:

Through a divorce;  My wife took my three kids. Ten years ago.  I started in Florida, got in a bicycle accident, had a head injury, and ended up somehow in Colorado.  I’m slowly but surely recovering from it.

Average day:

My typical day is trying to go out and make some money.  But now I can sit out here and make five bucks when I used to make 20.

I used to be a big pot dealer. Took care of all the homeless. Kind of a steal from the rich, give to the poor.  I’ve got a head injury, but a big heart.

Community:

I’ve been here eight years, I’ve watched this town become taken over by methamphetamines. I’ve watched some of my best friends here get addicted, even ones that were doing great things with their life. Being homeless, I’ve definitely seen a lot.

What is home:

Home is being around people I love.  Being around family. Wherever you sleep at night.  It’s easy to forget about that – when you’re homeless, a lot of your day is spent figuring out where you’re gonna sleep that night.

Homelessness in America:

I had a huge home, three cars, a coastal property, and one day it was all gone. We give people food stamps that are homeless for a full year. Twenty-four hundred dollars. Wouldn’t it be easier to give us a house?  That’s how we’re gonna get out of this.