Lane is a Father Joe’s Villages program participant and lives in East Village.

I am a talker, but you wouldn’t know that if you’d met me a few years ago. I became homeless due to several circumstances in my life. I was living on the street with few resources. My physical and mental health were compromised and I knew that I needed a higher level of care.

I heard about Father Joe’s Villages and decided to enter one of their programs. I do not remember what led me to take therapy at Father Joe’s Villages, but I am very grateful for having made that decision — it changed my life. 

My therapist and I embarked on a difficult task to build a new me. Part of that journey involved fixing something most people take for granted, something we don’t realize is important when navigating the world. That something was my teeth. Visit the link below to read the full essay. 

Opinion: Bad teeth made it harder to address my homelessness – The San Diego Union-Tribune (sandiegouniontribune.com).