Originally from Puerto Rico, Francisco Diaz has been living in Washington D.C. for the past 22 years and considers himself a D.C. native. Franky, as he is known by his friends, loves living in the United States. However, his life has been anything but easy. For many years, Franky has struggled with bipolar disorder, alcohol, and homelessness. 

Franky’s mental illness and housing instability have been sources of great stress and anxiety for him, fueling his dependence on alcohol. Sadly, things got much worse for Franky before they got better. Seven years ago, he was diagnosed with diabetes, but he wasn’t ready to change his lifestyle of drinking.

“It’s terrible. It’s something that you can’t imagine can hurt you, but it does hurt you. That’s one of the reasons I lost my leg“

After spending some time in the hospital recovering from multiple surgeries, Franky was sent to Christ House, a local program for homeless individuals dealing with medical issues. There he received support recovering from his surgeries.

Once he was ready, Franky was then transferred to Hope Has A Home™, where supporters like you have helped him take the next step in his recovery. At Hope Has A Home™, Franky has a warm bed, and ongoing care and support to help him manage his diabetes, mental illness and alcohol use. “I changed my old habits. I stopped drinking, stopped smoking, stopped doing everything that I’m not supposed to be doing. And the results are great,” says Franky. Your support also means that Franky will have a home of his own to move into by the end of his time in the program.

At Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas, we also believe in miracles. Every day, amazing givers of hope like you create miracles for vulnerable people like Franky. You could be the reason more people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorders and other chronic illnesses can find healing and a home.