When William walked into Harbor Care’s Community Health Services office last June, he had lost nearly everything—his leg, his home, and his faith that things could get better.

At 66, William had been living at a local shelter, struggling with complications from diabetes, depression, and the exhaustion of trying to survive each day. “He was stressed, disheartened, and cynical,” said Magna Krieger, Harbor Care’s Director of Community Health Services. “He’d been through so much, and he didn’t believe anyone could really help him.”

Magna connected him to Harbor Care Health & Wellness Center for medical care and Harbor Care Housing for temporary housing while that team searched for permanent housing. When William missed some appointments unexpectantly, Magna tracked him down and discovered he had been hospitalized for an infection. She began visiting him daily—checking on his recovery, coordinating with his doctors, and even contacting his sister in Puerto Rico to replace his lost identification and bank cards.

“I didn’t think anyone would keep showing up for me,” William said. “I live day to day, but she gave me hope again.”

By September, just three months later, William had regained some mobility with his new prosthetic leg and was settling into his own apartment at one of Harbor Care’s properties, under the guidance of Harbor Care’s Thomas Walsh, Affordable Housing Specialist and Program Manager for the site.

When Magna visited him, she said, “He had gone from despair to optimism. He’d completely changed. He was smiling, cooking, and talking about finding part-time work. Stable housing gave him back his confidence—and his dignity.”

William had been a currier for many years. Two years ago he tried to help his brother open a new family business. When those plans failed, he became estranged from his family and found himself homeless, something he never thought would happen to him. As he looks up, his eyes welling with tears, he says all he could think for months was, “God, give me the strength to get through the day.”

Now that he feels more stable in his new home, William spends his mornings reading from a book he authored, Your Words Have Power, a bilingual book on faith and gratitude. “You have to talk positive 100% of the time,” he said. “Whatever you think or talk about, put it in the hands of God. If you keep a positive attitude, good things will happen every day.”

Harbor Care’s integrated model—linking community health workers with primary care, housing, transportation, and other services—helped William rebuild every part of his life.

“I thought I was done,” he said quietly, “but you gave me my life back.”

Today Magna Krieger and her associate, Milderi Caraballo, continue their work in Harbor Care’s Community Health Services at the Health & Wellness Center, 45 High Street in downtown Nashua. As Community Health Workers, they connect people to healthcare and social services, helping them navigate systems, access resources (including insurance), and improve their overall well-being. For more information about Community Health Services, visit the Healthcare section at www.harborcarenh.org or call 603-821-7788.