Leaving homelessness behind, a young father builds a safe home - Leaving homelessness behind, a young father builds a safe home -

Leaving homelessness behind, a young father builds a safe home

image_printPRINT

Bilaal was just a teenager when his life went off the rails. He joined a gang and found himself in and out of prison and using drugs. For eight years, he struggled. 

“I was always into something,” he said.

By his mid-20s, he knew he needed to get back on track, for the sake of his children. He and his longtime girlfriend had three children, but she fell into addiction and the couple separated. Bilaal and the children soon became homeless, living with relatives.

“We were pretty much about to be on the streets,” Bilaal said. 

Instead, he reached out to Monmouth County for help, and the county connected him with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton’s Linkages program in Tinton Falls. Linkages is emergency transitional housing for homeless individuals and families that’s located on the sprawling, verdant grounds of a former motel where beachbound vacationers used to stay. It offers safe, clean and spacious living quarters that feel homey, thanks to suite-style units with full kitchens, a community building with laundry facilities, a playground and plenty of room for children to run, bike and play.

“It’s wonderful, because we finally have our own space,” said Bilaal, who moved to Linkages in April with his children Brielli, 8, Jaden, 6, and Josiah, 1, and his girlfriend’s daughter Skye, 4.

“If we weren’t here, then we would be homeless,” he added. 

A good role model

Stacey DePoe, Linkages’ director, applauded Bilaal’s progress.

“To take on two roles and be a single parent takes a strong person,” DePoe said. “What makes it even more amazing is Bilaal is also parenting a child he is not the biological father of. He is determined to be a good role model to these children and give them a place to call home.”

At Linkages, Bilaal especially loves that the family now has their own kitchen, where he can cook whatever the children want. Fried Oreos are one of his specialties.

“I try to make it fun,” Bilaal said.

Linkages proved a lifesaver when the pandemic hit, he said. The family could quarantine safely, as Bilaal focused on finding a job.

Now 26, Bilaal graduated from the Fortis Institute in Lawrenceville last January, with his certification in heating, ventilation and air conditioning. He recently landed a job for a construction company. 

“It was hard to find a job,” he said, referring to the pandemic’s crippling impact on the economy and employment. “But I did, and I feel great.”

The family looks forward to finding a home of their own soon. 

“I want to paint my room pink,” Brielli said with a smile.

Subscribe for more news

For more information about Linkages, contact Program Director Stacey DePoe at [email protected] or (732) 922-0400; or Dana DiFilippo, Catholic Charities communications, at [email protected] or (215) 756-6277 (cell). This story appeared in our Fall 2020 Spirit newsletter. To see the full newsletter, both current and past issues, click here.

To subscribe to our blog posts and news releases, fill out the fields below.

Loading

3 Comments

  1. Anonymous Santas surprise families in need at Linkages with $12,000 gift - - December 16, 2020, 3:17 pm

    […] “They’re like: ‘Ughhh, what paperwork do I need to fill out now?!'” said DePoe, director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton’s Linkages program, which provides transitional housing in Tinton Falls for people and families exitin… […]

  2. Catholic Charities hosts COVID-19 vaccine clinic - - March 18, 2021, 12:31 pm

    […] an effort to provide the vaccine to underserved groups, including people experiencing homelessness. Linkages is apartment-style transitional housing for families and individuals exiting homelessness in Monmouth […]

  3. Guardian Angel Benefit of Hope honorees named for virtual celebration - - May 20, 2021, 4:29 pm

    […] They organized a Lenten almsgiving drive at St. Denis for several Catholic Charities programs: Linkages, Providence House Domestic Violence Services, Rapid Re-Housing, and For My Baby and Me. John […]

Comments are now closed on this post.

Need Help? Call 1-800-360-7711
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap