Bonaventure House - Success Stories
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Lucretia's Story

"Nothing in God's world happens by mistake," says Lucretia, a 41-year-old former resident of Bonaventure House. "Everything happens for a reason."

Lucretia is a woman who lives her life without regret. Prior to her arrival at Bonaventure House, she had spent 20 years supporting a drug habit through prostitution. She wouldn't change a thing though, for her experience has made her who she is today.

"For every negative, there's always a positive," she says.

In her 18 months at Bonaventure House, Lucretia made significant changes in her life. In addition to enhancing her professional skills, she chaired, and continues to chair, Narcotics Anonymous and Prostitutes Anonymous meetings at several area locations, including the Women's Treatment Center. She works part-time as a prevention counselor, sharing her experiences with at-risk youth.

In October of 2005, Lucretia married. She and her husband moved into an apartment in fall of 2006 after Lucretia completed the program.

Reflecting on her time at Bonaventure House, Lucretia feels that she gained dignity, respect for herself and an increased sense of independence. She met wonderful people and truly found her identity.

"Most of all," she says, "I learned how to live with myself."
Click here to read Lucretia's Story



Leedell's Story

Leedell is focused on his future. He has dreams and aspirations to be a singer again.

Twenty years ago, Leedell sang in local choruses and clubs. In the 1990’s, Leedell had a record deal but when the company went out of business, he found himself on the streets.

In 2000, he decided to move back to Champaign, Ill., where his family lives. But as things worsened, he decided that the move had been a mistake.

When he returned to Chicago, Leedell thought he could count on his friends. But they weren’t there for him and Leedell was homeless. After spending time in different shelters and temporary housing programs, Leedell finally came to Bonaventure House in 2004.

“Bonaventure House was like stepping into heaven, because I had nothing,” he says.

His experience as overwhelmingly positive. Needing help, Leedell was willing to accept the rules of the house. He believes that is what made him a successful graduate of our program.

During his time at Bonaventure House, Leedell gained a sense of direction.

“I felt like I was out of it and disappointed with my life and going through the shelter system was difficult,” he recalls.

People at Bonaventure House really helped him because he felt lost. For example, Father Ted assisted Leedell in finding his spirituality and reconnecting with God. Leedell developed new skills with the help of his case manager. He decided not to go back to work in retail but gained additional experience and eventually started working at the front desk as a resident at Bonaventure House and continued in that position after graduating from our program in August 2006.

Now, Leedell is the night supervisor at Bonaventure House. He loves his job because he is still connected to the community. Leedell finds the residents inspirational and likes talking and laughing with them.

“I love it when residents come down and talk to me at night," he says.

At Bonaventure House, he made new friends and loves connecting with residents.

“I hope that I can inspire current residents for that day when they leave here," Leedell says. "That they can do it.”

Leedell has stayed focused in spite of adversity and he didn’t lost sight of what he needs to do to succeed in the future.
Click here to read Leedell's Story



Richard's Story

Late in Summer of 2004, Richard woke up to find that he had been sleeping on the grass in Lincoln Park. Having nowhere to go, he realized that it was time to make a change.

Growing up in Southern Indiana, Richard became involved in drugs in his teenage years while working in the food service industry.

Largely due to the fact that he had a steady income, Richard left high school prior to receiving his diploma. Several years later, Richard moved to Chicago to further his career in food service management.

Despite his involvement in crystal meth, he managed to secure a position as a corporate trainer for a large, nationwide restaurant chain. Eventually, however, his addiction proved overwhelming and his career disintegrated.

Subsequently, Richard learned he was HIV positive. Upon hearing the news, his live-in partner threw him out of the house, leaving Richard homeless.

With nowhere else to turn, Richard entered a 28-day treatment program. Ultimately, this would be the springboard to his stay at Bonaventure House.

Since his arrival in February of 2006, Richard has proven to be a valuable asset to the Bonaventure House community. In addition to attending recovery and HIV support groups, he volunteers at Vital Bridges and is taking classes toward earning his G.E.D.

"I feel like I'm at the beginning of the beginning", Richard explained when asked to reflect upon his time at Bonaventure House. "The start of an adventure, learning a new way to live."

As for the future, Richard is not sure and is hoping that through attending classes, he will gain a better sense of direction for himself.

"This is an incredibly supportive environment," Richard noted. "It really starts to feel like home. This is going to be a hard place to leave."
Click here to read Richard's Story



Linda's story

Linda never had the opportunity to know her mother.

She died when she was only eight months old. Linda's father struggled with alcoholism so, ultimately, she ended up spending her childhood living with her grandmother.

Frequent visits with her father and his other children led Linda to begin drinking at the age of 12. Her drinking increased throughout her teenage years to the point that she was hospitalized three times in her early twenties for alcohol poisoning.

At age 32, when Linda's doctor informed her that her drinking was killing her, she began to smoke crack cocaine instead. Her dependence on drugs would continue for the next 12 years and would become dramatically more intense upon learning her HIV status in 2002.

In January of 2003, at age 44, Linda had had enough.

"I got tired of being tired," she explained.

She asked her daughter to help her and the next morning Linda checked into a 28-day treatment program. After completing that program, Linda entered First Step, a temporary recovery home. Less than a year later, she had taken up residence at Bonaventure House.

"It was great", Linda explained when asked to describe her time at Bonaventure House. "I got along so well with everyone that I didn't want to leave. I was scared to be on my own."

After two years at Bonaventure House, however, Linda was on her own. She graduated to independent living in December of 2006 and now lives in a studio apartment and has a job working the front desk at Bonaventure House.

She is currently taking classes toward earning her G.E.D.

"It's great", Linda said. "I have an apartment and a job. I see my family a lot and my friends. I had three of my grandchildren over just the other day. I'm not scared anymore."
Click here to read Linda's story



Kim's Story

At age 11, following her mother's death, Kim began to drink.

By the time she was in her mid-twenties, her alcohol abuse had become a daily occurrence and, ultimately, cost her job, her friends, her livelihood.

Diagnosed with HIV in 2003, Kim immediately went into denial with respect to her status.

"The tears wouldn't come," she explained. "I was mad at the world."

Instead of coping with her diagnosis, Kim turned to alcohol.

Two years following her diagnosis, Kim voluntarily entered a 60-day treatment center, but was resistant to the program.

"One day, a counselor pointed to the cemetery outside and told me that was the path that I was headed down if I didn't deal with my problems," Kim explained. "He asked me if I wanted to live, or if I wanted to die. I chose to live."

Kim came to Bonaventure House late in 2005 and, has since worked diligently to rebuild her life.

"My time here has given me the freedom to work on my future," Kim explains. "I don't have to worry about anything here, so I can focus on myself."

Kim is currently attending classes at Truman College, working toward a degree in business. She has made the honor roll, receiving 2 A's and a B. She also facilitates a women's group at CWAP and is an active participant in the programs offered at Bonaventure House.

"What I want people to understand most is that being HIV positive isn't the end of the world," Kim says, "Im still living. Every day my foundation becomes larger and stronger."

Click here to read Kim's Story



David's story

I volunteer because I am here and I can.

“At Bonaventure House, I don’t have the desperation that I was living in,” says David.

During his first 15 months in our program, he has had the time, opportunity, and resources to figure out what he wants to do and work towards those goals.

David has returned to his profession as a hairdresser. In the 1980’s, he had a successful salon on Chicago's Halsted Street. But after returning to the city in 2001, he developed a pattern of losing jobs due to his drinking. He was unhappy. His drinking was progressively getting worse.

Finally, David went to rehab.

His case manager at the time suggested that David volunteer at Camp Getaway in Wisconsin. It is a week-long camp for families affected by HIV/AIDS. Either a child or parent is infected with the disease. David is a camp counselor and he is assigned a family. During the day, David works with children ages four to six, doing various activities with them for the whole day. This will be this third year at the camp.

David also volunteers at the Chicago Children’s Museum. He chose to volunteer there because they have an art program for children. All of his volunteer work concerns children.

“I like the innocence and that they aren’t already corrupt,” he says, “They have that inquisitive look.”

David volunteers because he wants to give back things that were given to him.

He was diagnosed with HIV in 1991 during the early years of the AIDS crisis. A lot of his friends died.

“In the back of my mind I do these things for them because I am here and I can," he says.

Since coming to Bonaventure House, David has developed another lifelong passion, art. He was always artistic. However, he didn’t want to live the “starving artist” life so he chose to be a hairdresser because it is artistic and he could make money.

Now he has time to develop his own style with drawing. David’s room is filled with his work. He has given many pieces to staff and other residents. His goal is to sell at street fairs and galleries in Chicago.

Between his art, volunteering, and working as a hairdresser, David is one of the busiest residents at Bonaventure House. He also does service work with Alcoholics Anonymous.

“Staying active does a lot for my soul and me mentally,” he says. "My life is completely different. Now, I do whatever I can for whomever I can whenever I can.”
Click here to read David's story



Jerry's Story

Having come from a family that did not accept him for being a gay man, Jerry H. spent his time searching for the love he did not receive growing up. He emulated the people in his life, turning to drinking, manipulating others and fighting.

Jerry experienced a lot of sadness and loneliness in his life. He got caught up in the unhealthy street life and began drinking and using drugs. Eventually, he lost his housing and employment. After some time living with friends, he began living on the streets. “It was all about the drinking,” he said, and his family and friends could not support him any longer.

Jerry grew tired of his lifestyle and entered a detox program. In 2006, he moved to Bonaventure House but was unsuccessful in the program. “I was doing the bare minimum in the beginning,” said Jerry, “and was hanging out with the wrong people on the outside.”

He moved out of Bonaventure House after six months and was able to maintain his sobriety for nearly a year before relapsing. In 2007, after he began using drugs again, his landlord considered his tenancy to be a danger to the building’s other residents. Again, Jerry was homeless. “I realized nothing had changed,” Jerry said. “The whole cycle had started again.”

In January 2009, Jerry decided to change his habits once and for all. He entered a rehabilitation facility and moved into Bonaventure House in May of that same year. Unlike his first time in the program, Jerry fully committed to his recovery. In his 18 months at Bonaventure House, Jerry attended meetings, sponsor groups and was the President of the Recovery Committee.

Today, Jerry has been sober for over three years. He plans to return to school this April and wants to become an addiction counselor. “I am learning to give back to the community,” Jerry said. Jerry volunteers and works at Bonaventure House. He is a resource for the residents currently living in the facility, offering guidance and a helping hand to anyone in need.

For Jerry, it’s all about love; for himself and for the people in his life. “It’s up to me to be happy, it has to come from within,” Jerry said. Jerry has some wisdom he hopes to pass on to the current and future residents of Bonaventure House: “Living in Bonaventure House, we’re all we’ve got. One addict helping another. Show each other more love, compassion and respect. Life will get better.” These words are not only important for Bonaventure House residents, but for all of us.
Click here to read Jerry's Story



Sheila's Story

Sheila J. has always had a strong will. Although her determination would later contribute to her success, it caused her trouble when she was young. She rebelled against her mother by getting involved with people her mother told her to avoid and by using drugs and alcohol.

“I thought all the fighting and getting sick was a part of the partying. Now I realize I had a problem,” Sheila said. When she had her first child at age 14, she did not want to take the responsibility. “I blamed my mom for everything,” said Sheila, who continued her unhealthy lifestyle and left the care of her child up to her family.

As time went on, her life began spiraling out of control. Sheila had four more children that her mother and father cared for. Sheila’s lifestyle eventually landed her in the penitentiary. After serving a three-year sentence, Sheila left jail only to start using again.

As her addiction progressed, Sheila could no longer hold a job. She started using heroine to escape the reality of her situation. “I didn’t want to feel anything. I didn’t want to be taking care of children. I didn’t want to do anything productive,” Sheila said.

Receiving her HIV positive diagnosis in 1989 only pushed Sheila further into her addiction. “I lived on what society thought,” Sheila said of her diagnosis. “I thought I was going to die, so I might as well go out with a bang.”

When years had passed without showing any signs of illness, Sheila realized she was not going to die. With this renewed feeling of hope, she decided she wanted to stop using drugs but didn’t know how. “I had become comfortable and complacent,” Sheila said, “I knew something was wrong, but didn’t want to deal with it.”

Sheila’s wakeup call came when she overdosed in 2007. When she awoke in a hospital with no recollection of how she got there, she realized how close to death she had come. She didn’t know recovery was possible, but when a social worker offered to help Sheila to overcome her addiction, Sheila accepted her help. At that point she was “willing to do whatever she needed to do for a better life.”

After months in detox and recovery programs, Sheila moved to Bonaventure House in the spring of 2008. “I came in going full force,” Sheila remembered. She had such desire to get better. “Bonaventure House taught me how to be responsible, stay focused, do what’s needed and live life on life’s terms,” said Sheila.

Living at Bonaventure House also taught her to overcome the stigma of living with HIV. Sheila said she realized, “This thing [HIV] does not have you, you have it.” She kept an open mind during her time at Bonaventure House, realizing that she was overcoming obstacles and taking steps towards a productive future. Of the staff at Bonaventure House, Sheila said, “They loved me until I began loving myself.”

Since leaving Bonaventure House, Sheila has renewed her relationship with her family. “None of them gave up on me,” Sheila said, “I’m so glad I’m able to show up for my family.” Now with five years of uninterrupted sobriety, Sheila has her own condo, volunteers and works for Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry. “I can see it now, how I’ve grown,” said Sheila, “It’s such a wonderful feeling.”

Sheila has a piece of advice for the current and future residents of Bonaventure House: “Do what’s asked of you. Come in with an open mind and desire to better yourself. When you do that the sky’s the limit.”
Click here to read Sheila's Story



 
 
Who We Are
For over 20 years Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry has been serving people impacted by HIV/AIDS in the Chicago metropolitan region, providing housing, comprehensive services, and spiritual care. Whether at The Harbor in Waukegan, IL, Bonaventure House on the North Side of Chicago or at our new facility on the South Side of Chicago, we transform the lives of people who are homeless and living with HIV/AIDS within a supportive, compassionate community.



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