Year 2006 

Highlander

As a child John, today in his fifties, moved to the USA with his parents, where he grew up and completed his education as an electrician. After serving a sentence for dealing and taking drugs, he was deported to Poland.
Thanks to John’s family intervention, he received help from MONAR (Polish charity for drug addicts, the homeless, those who are HIV positive or who have AIDS) and finally landed in a shelter of St. Brother Albert’s Aid Society. Insufficient Polish hasn’t been the only problem that John faced. He has been diagnosed to suffer from a manic-depressive psychosis. After hospitalization and systematic therapy, John found a job in the construction field. During his vacation, he returned to do some unfinished community work for our shelter. 
The accurate diagnosis and support provided during Mr. John’s therapy has helped in overcoming his homelessness.

Resocialization

At the age of 48, with a history of alcohol addiction, Mr. Ziutek landed at St. Brother Albert's shelter after being released from a penitentiary, where he served a lengthy sentence for fraud and theft. Before all these he had a wife and children. While at the penitentiary, he joined the Alcoholics Anonymous program and continued the treatment at the shelter. Mr. Ziutek’s main goal was to reestablish family ties. To some extent he succeeded with reaching his goal. His youngest son is very supportive in his fight against alcoholism; he comes to the meetings and helps with the therapy. 
Our Society has helped Mr. Ziutek by employing him as a guardian at one of our shelters and providing him with a flat, in exchange for taking responsibility of overseeing the entire building and its premises.

Native of Lvov

An elderly, mentally handicapped man has lived in a ravaged house until social workers have transported him to one of St. Brother Albert's shelters. Even though his disability was not severe, we were not able to accommodate him at the shelter. Fortunately, the MOPS organization located his sister, who declared to take care of her brother at her flat after completing the necessary adjustments.

Girl

Upon graduating from High School, a girl settled with her boyfriend in a rented room. After her father had passed away, her mother faced the difficulties of raising a child as a single parent. She consented to her daughter's decision of moving out because it was helpful to the situation of her new family. However, she has promised to help her daughter. After her mother's tragic death, it turned out the girl was pregnant. Her boyfriend’s parents demanded that he return home or be disinherited. The girl stayed alone because she couldn’t return to her mother's house occupied by her alcoholic stepfather and baby step-brother. The girl’s aunt brought her to the DSM (single-mother shelter), which was the only help she could provide. The girl was at a breakdown when help was provided by a psychologist and our shelter’s employees. She got better, started to think about the future and attended evening school. 
Our society helped the girl in receiving a family allowance and a scholarship from PCPR (local center for family support). Her baby was born in January. After her maternity leave, she will return to school and the baby will stay with us while she’s attending school.

Young man

A very young 24-year-old man stayed with us periodically since 2000. His childhood was very harsh, without a father and a mother who renounced her parental rights.
The boy spent his young years in many places like: children’s home, unit of caring service, prison and shelter. He was addicted to alcohol and drugs.
 In one of our shelters, the boy started his societal recovery by participating in an active program for the long term unemployed and completing a painting course sponsored by the Unemployment Office. He was very helpful in the shelter’s renovations. 
Summer of 2006 brought him a big chance; he was employed as a house guardian in exchange for accommodation, food and a small salary.  The young man took the chance and still works at the same place.

Mommy

A young mother of two boys, age two and three, stent all her childhood in educational centers for neglected children. Her mentally sick mother lives in a closed psychiatric ward and her father has no interest in his daughter’s life.  He even threw her out of the flat. The girl’s life partner and the father of her children has stayed at the penitentiary. 
The mom is very energetic and loves her sons and her life partner very much. Thanks to our help, she has found a job and placed her children in a cr?che. We also assisted her in qualifying for a flat and supported her efforts for her partner’s parole.
During her yearly stay at our shelter, she not only found a job but also believed in herself and the kindness of others, even though she hasn’t received any help and support from her family.

Handyman

A locksmith – mechanic, homeless for seven years due to alcoholism, in the summer of 2005, after his subsequent return to our shelter, decided to change his life. With our psychological help, he has finally stopped drinking without undergoing any drying-out treatment.
 He has worked very hard for our shelter. Since January 2007, he has been living in a social flat allotted by the city president. He still helps at our shelter and we help him in his current situation and in furnishing his flat.