Peace of Mind

Janice is homeless for one reason: She’s mentally ill. She suffers from schizophrenia and struggles to separate fact from fiction in her own mind. When you ask Janice about her childhood in Florida, she recalls her mother and a nanny, but then the fantasies take over.

We first met Janice in 1985 when she showed up at our door, cold, hungry and homeless. She told us she has tried to go to Canada in search of her former nanny, but wasn’t allowed to cross the border because she didn’t have the proper paperwork. We gave her food and shelter and helped her sort out the chaos in her mind.

Janice is a wanderer and has spent the past few decades bouncing between several states. But in 2003, she settled down in Grand Forks, where her teenaged children are in foster care.

To prepare Janice for life outside the Mission, our staff is working closely with her, monitoring her medication, and teaching her basic life skills. The structure and constant support Janice receives here have had a remarkable impact on her mental health.

Not long ago we helped Janice move into an apartment, but we’ll continue to provide her with support. And if the challenge of caring for herself proves to be too much for Janice, we’ll welcome her back to the Mission so she doesn’t end up on the streets again.

“The Mission is a wonderful place for someone who doesn’t have anything, Janice shares. “They provide warmth, a roof over our heads, and food and clothing. You can build hopes and build dreams here.