At Fourth Street Clinic, we serve over 6,000 individuals a year who would otherwise go without vital health services. Fourth Street Clinic provides care for 725 diabetic patients with 233 individuals relying on insulin to survive

From Homelessness to Hope

Kevin’s world turned upside down after a heart attack and a diabetes diagnosis. Facing the immense challenge of managing his health while homeless, life became a daily struggle. In the shelter, meals were high in carbohydrates, making blood sugar control nearly impossible. “Well, breakfast would be donuts or sugary cereal. I would skip breakfast and try to find better food but you usually have to eat whatever you get. When you have a kitchen and a refrigerator, managing diabetes is so much easier.”

“I often said, ‘What is available to you is full of carbs,’” Kevin recalls. “And waiting for someone to unlock the medication cabinet made managing my diabetes feel like an uphill battle.”

A refrigerator is something many of us take for granted and realize the impact it has on the diet and storage of insulin. In the shelter, diabetic medication and monitors are kept in a closed-off area thus every dose of insulin or blood sugar monitor requires permission, creating constant hurdles. For those living on the streets, insulin storage is also challenging causing some individuals to bury their insulin in the ground to keep it cold in the summer.

The first time Kevin stepped into Fourth Street Clinic everything changed. Kevin  The team didn’t just treat Kevin’s diabetes—they treated him. Shideh Hafezi, the pharmacist managing their diabetes program, ensured Kevin had glucose tablets in case of a nighttime emergency. His therapist went above and beyond, even checking on him during weekends when things felt overwhelming.

This unwavering support gave Kevin the tools and confidence he needed to regain control of his health and his life. With their help, Kevin achieved stability, found housing, and discovered a renewed sense of purpose. Today, he serves on the Consumer Advisory Board and works as an Easterseals Ambassador, greeting patients in the waiting room of the very clinic that once supported him.

Kevin’s journey reflects the power of community. “They say it takes a village to care for a child. Well, I say it takes a village to keep a village,” he shares.

Your support builds that village. Every donation transforms lives like Kevin’s—turning despair into hope. This holiday season, Give One Raise Two doubles the impact of every donation, allowing Fourth Street Clinic to provide critical care to individuals managing diabetes while homeless.

Together, we can help more people like Kevin thrive.

A donation to Fourth Street Clinic means individuals can receive diabetes education and care they wouldn’t get anywhere else.