How does a college graduate with a 3.85 GPA from Chicago and a stable job end up living under the Pierce Elevated in Houston? It was a calamitous yet simple combination of job loss plus identity theft.
Michael Collier came to Houston in 2008 to join the team to install the AT&T U-Verse System. Unfortunately, along with 25,000 ATT employees and contractors nationwide, he lost his job in 2009. Even though he secured a permanent position with DuPont only 3 weeks later, he lost that opportunity as well when he found out that the Social Security office records indicated that he was deceased. DuPont was not able to retain him with insufficient records.
Only 90 days later, he was evicted from his apartment, his vehicle was repossessed and had no idea what to do. He ended up homeless. “I never imagined I would find myself on the street,” said Michael. I was not prepared for the violence, drugs, crime. I had no idea how to survive, living this way.”
Luckily, Michael met a fellow veteran, also homeless, who introduced him to SEARCH. His case managers, Susan Most, Randa Wynn and Charlanda Chaney, helped him get back on his feet. Their first order of business was, of course, to repair his identification records. Now, 29 months later, Michael not only has his valid I.D. in hand, he’s attending classes at Rice University so that he can receive his teaching certification with the State of Texas.
“Thanks to SEARCH, I went from living under a bridge to attending Rice University,” said Michael.
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