Daybreak’s Custodian, Justin Davis

Please enjoy this interview with Justin Davis, a current Daybreak custodian and former youth from our program. He shares his story, how he built stability in his life, and the safety and support he found at Daybreak.

Welcome, Justin! What are your preferred pronouns?

He/him.

 So, you’re a past client of Daybreak’s, right? Could you tell us what brought you to Daybreak? What was the moment that you realized you needed some help?

Back in what was 2010 2011, we were living here in Dayton and we had to go move to Buffalo, New York.

Oh, wow! When you say, “we,” was that your family?

Yeah, and we went up there to live for 2 years. I graduated from high school came back here and then a family member actually told me about Daybreak that was staying here. I wasn’t homeless or anything, I was bouncing from place to place, couch surfing.

Then they told me about Daybreak, and I mean the rest is history.

When you were at Daybreak, what services helped you find that stability so you didn’t feel like you were jumping from place to place and had a more permanent plan?

Well obviously, the housing program that they offer. Employment actually too –I did have a job, but they pressured me to keep it if that makes sense. They gave me more guidance.

What was the job that you had?

It was Lindy’s here.

Awesome, so you did the Lindy’s program! After that what was next for you? Did you continue in the food service industry?

Yeah, I did I ended up working at Arby’s for about four or five years.

 Awesome! And so the housing program that you were in, do you know was it one of the on-site programs or did you move out into community? Did you go through the shelter? What did that look like for you?

I didn’t go through the shelter. Actually, when I first got here, they sent me straight upstairs to the second floor and I basically went through that whole program there. Then I went out to community and did that as well.

Give us a picture of what your life is like today. I’d imagine it’s a bit different than 2010 2011.

Yeah, I’ll be 30 this year, so very different. I would have to say they taught me how to keep my bills paid and utilize resources and I don’t know. I mean it is different. I like that question.

I think life is different now because they taught me how to be responsible, how to be an adult and the steppingstones they use here got me to where I’m at now which is back here, surprisingly.

Tell us about that. You have recently come back to Daybreak in a very different context.

Yes. Former client, so now I am here working, and it is different because again I was a client, so I didn’t get to see all the behind-the-scenes stuff. Now working behind the scenes, it’s different to see how Daybreak actually operates.

When you came to Daybreak originally you had been couch surfing and now your life is very different. What is that stability like for you? There’s definitely employment—do you have a permanent housing situation?

Yeah, I do I love where I live. It’s comfortable there, it’s a safe area. This is obviously outside of Daybreak, it’s been years.

I just think with Daybreak, they are here to help. They are here to give the guidance that people don’t have coming into Daybreak. Everyone’s story is different. Everyone’s not coming in here homeless or from a broken home or anything like that, right. Some people just need a place to go—need a little push.

Like, okay well I got a job but I don’t really have a stable income or it could be the other way around. I think Daybreak is like the perfect place to come to when you’re a young adult, still your feet wet and getting into the real world.

Yeah, I agree with all the things you said. I think that’s a great way of putting it because like you said, you weren’t necessarily the definition of homeless, but couch surfing is a version of not having that stability. And the way you said it before, too, they taught you how to be an adult. That’s something a lot of us learn the hard way or don’t have someone to teach us. It’s a very important thing to learn. You told us a bit about Daybreak already but if you could tell people just in a few sentences, what would you want people to know about Daybreak?

It’s a safe place. They got your back. Whatever you need, they’ll give it to you; you’re family here. You could come to anybody with whatever problem you have, and they’ll solve it to the best of their abilities.

Thank you for talking to us and sharing your story and there will be more stories to come. 

 

 

In case you missed it, check out Board President Alisha Eilers’ story here.