Man’s Best Friend
Diomer and Rockie are an inseparable pair.
Living life on the streets, Rockie provided Diomer with companionship, protection, and unconditional love. In return Diomer promised to never abandon Rockie – no matter what obstacles stood in the way.
In many ways, they kept each other alive – man, and man’s best friend.
After experiencing homelessness in Phoenix, and staring down the triple-digit heat of another unsheltered summer, Diomer was ready to find a home and build a better life for them both.
When Keys to Change staff offered to divert Diomer, the timing was perfect – he had a friend offering him a job – complete with employee lodging – at a horse stable in Washington State.
A Solution – with a Problem
Through the diversion program, Keys to Change staff verified the job in Washington, then the team got to work arranging travel plans for the pair. For such a long journey, air travel seemed the best option. Unfortunately, the airline determined that Rockie was too active to fly, even medicated.
Then the team tried for a bus ticket. But Greyhound would not allow Rockie to travel by bus.
The train seemed a viable alternative, but unfortunately the trip’s duration exceeded Amtrak’s policy for pet travel. The “solutions” only worked if Diomer left Rockie behind – which simply wasn’t an option.
So the team regrouped. The case escalated to the Programs Manager Meeting. Racing against the heat of summer – and the time-limited guarantee of housing and employment in Washington – the management team brainstormed together.
Every option discussed had already been attempted – except for one.
Off to the Races…
“Why don’t we take him ourselves?” someone suggested.
Without hesitation, Outreach Manager Charles pulled up the Google Maps, considered the 24-hour one-way trip, and announced to the group – “I’ll take him. Let’s get this client housed.”
The very next morning, Charles and Outreach Specialist Josh were “off to the races” with Diomer and Rockie. They drove the 1,500 miles in shifts across multiple states, up the winding mountain roads, across the long stretches of open prairie land.
As they pulled up to the horse stables where Diomer would work and live, the foursome knew instantly that the journey had been worth it. They were greeted with a warm welcome and a tour of the grounds.
Diomer now raises and trains racehorses for a living. He and Rockie have their own place. It’s the perfect job – and the perfect home – for a man so dedicated to his own furry friend.
Not “One Size Fits All”
At Keys to Change, the humans we serve – and the families they build – are at the center of our decision-making. Because of that focus, we maintain flexibility in our programs – to find the “yes” wherever possible.
Surely it’s not the explicit design of the Diversion Program to have staff hand-deliver clients across thousands of miles each time. But the program is designed to end homelessness – one life at a time. For Diomer and Rockie, this is what “yes” looks like.
Ending homelessness isn’t “one size fits all.” Every solution is different – and some of the best outcomes begin with thinking outside the box. Now for Diomer and Rockie, it’s off to the races!
