Robert (Bob) Spurling: It's Never Too Late!
I became homeless after a chain of events that didn’t go well for me.
Hi, I am Robert Spurling. I lived in Harbor Care’s Dalianis House twice, for a total of five years.
I should tell you I didn’t have any addictions I had to deal with. I just became homeless after a chain of events that didn’t go well for me, and ended up in an emergency shelter. I applied through Veterans FIRST for transitional housing, and was accepted into Dalianis House. When I arrived, I was about 58 years old with terrible credit and no job.
Being at Dalianis House helped me in so many ways!
You taught me I didn’t have to drink to make tough times seem better.
You helped me get my class A license (but I didn’t last very long at that before I got bladder cancer).
The stable housing and support you provided made it possible for me to start building my credit. I started with a $200 prepaid card and within 6 months, I was able to obtain an unsecured card with a $200 limit.
To cut a long story short, I will be 65 this November and I bought my second brand new car, a 2021 Jeep Trail Hawk, back in March. I also own my own home now in Maine. Well, the bank does but my mortgage is only $378 per month and that includes insurance, taxes, and my mortgage payment!
We are the best of friends!
I was also able to adopt a 3-year-old pit bull mix and we are best of friends! We even sleep in the same bed and he uses his own pillow!!!
Without Harbor Homes I would never have been able to build my credit and learn that I really mattered which gave me the initiative to do better for myself.
You should post my story on the Dalianis House website! In six and a half years I went from crap to a proud homeowner! All on SSDI and a small compensation from the VA. Let people out there know, IT’S NEVER TO LATE!!
Thanks for listening and thank you for all you did for me. I could never repay you!
Sincerely yours,
Bob Spurling
For more on how Harbor Care programs help veterans, please visit Christina’s story, and Far From Safety. Please consider making a donation this holiday season to our ongoing mission to ensure all veterans are housed. Thank you.