“I wish more people understood how quickly you can find yourself without a home. It’s not always a slow decline — sometimes, it happens in an instant. One day, I had a job and a place to live, and the next, it was all gone.”

For Nathan, it only took a couple of weeks for everything to unravel. Raised in Farmington, he spent most of his life in New England, earning a business degree and building a career in customer service and consulting. While the work provided stability, it never felt like the right fit, and over time, he grew disconnected from it. It wasn’t until he found work as a mason in Damariscotta that things began to click. He loved the physicality of the job — building chimneys, working with his hands and moving from site to site. The days were long but fulfilling. He had stability, renting a room in his boss’ home.

Everything changed when his boss, who owned the business, unexpectedly passed away. Suddenly, Nathan found himself without both his job and his housing — both gone almost overnight. Initially, he thought he could manage, living off his final paychecks and staying in his car while searching for housing and jobs. But as days turned into weeks with no income, his savings drained quickly between food, gas and bills. Adding to the challenge, Nathan developed severe vision problems that made driving unsafe, limiting his ability to attend job interviews.

Nathan shared how his depression and housing struggles made every day feel like the same unending cycle.

“It was like living in Groundhog Day,” he reflected. “Each day felt like a repeat of the last — isolating, draining, with no sense of forward movement. But now, I focus on small steps. I give myself one new goal a day, something to break the pattern and hopefully move me forward.”

Four weeks ago, as the winter cold became unbearable in his car, Nathan searched online for shelter options. That’s how he found Tedford Housing’s Overnight Winter Warming Center. He made his way from Damariscotta to Brunswick, hoping for warmth and a place to think clearly about his next steps.

Since arriving, Nathan has been actively working to rebuild. He sought mental health support at Midcoast Hospital and scheduled an upcoming eye surgery to restore his vision. He’s also been applying for jobs — ones that will allow him to regain stability once he recovers from the surgery in a few weeks. Even amidst the struggles, Nathan finds himself listing things to appreciate each day: his progress in managing depression, the warmth and food at the warming center, and the long walks he takes outdoors for reflection.

“I appreciate the consistency this place provides,” he said. “Even though I never thought I’d end up here and always prided myself on being independent, I’m glad it was here when I finally reached out for help.”

As Nathan focuses on his immediate goals — finding employment, saving money and getting back into stable housing — he’s also driven by a larger vision for the future. Once he regains his footing, he hopes to enter the nonprofit and social services sector, inspired by the transformative support he’s received through group therapy and recovery conversations.

Since opening on Nov. 25, the Warming Center has become a vital resource for over 60 of our Midcoast neighbors. Many, like Nathan, have faced unexpected life changes that left them vulnerable in ways they never anticipated. Each person who walks through the door brings their own struggles and barriers, but all share a common need for warmth and safety. As Nathan reflects, “You think of homelessness as something far away, but the reality is it’s right in front of you, and you don’t always see it until it’s you.”

Katrina Webster is a development and communications associate at Tedford Housing.