Josh

Born in 1991 in Salt Lake City, Josh had eight siblings. His parents struggled to care for them, sometimes resorting to abusive physical discipline. He entered the foster care system and was again abused by the people who were meant to care for him. Josh struggles with schizophrenia and has had to learn a lot about managing his emotions in his time on the streets. He aged out of the foster system and became homeless at eighteen due to a lack of access to mental health services or supports to lead a successful adult life after being mistreated in the foster care system. He has been homeless for thirteen years. He is hopeful for better access to mental healthcare and housing as the services that exist are hard to access and not meeting his needs, which he describes as disabling in their severity and a key component in his chronic homelessness. 

Josh wants to be a business investor who specializes in recreation and entertainment that makes a positive impact in the community. He also plays the saxophone. The thing he wants most currently is support finding private, stable housing. He was interested in the sanctioned campground as a stepping stone to have some stability even on the streets. The biggest struggle he faces regularly is the amount of travel on foot to meet his basic needs. He wants the world to know that he and people like him are trying their best but the cycles can be hard to break, and it makes no sense that people are homeless when there are empty apartments. He asks that folks do what they can to get people the help they need, be it for mental health, addiction, or keeping a job.