On a weekday afternoon in Rotterdam, we sit on the couch with Alan. He is 47 years old, father of four, and since January 11, 2024, a tenant of a small apartment through Housing First Rotterdam. A Sheltersuit hangs on the coat rack. “I’ll never let it go,” says Alan. It’s a tangible reminder of a period he himself calls “hell”: the years he lived on the streets.
Alan knows both sides of care. For years, he worked as a counselor in various institutions, including addiction services. He helped people trying to survive in a world of rules, shelters, and distrust. Until he ended up there himself. “I always guided clients,” he says. “But when I became a participant myself, I often felt like just a number. Conversations were rare, except when I was being punished. The quality of care has really declined.”
The turning point
His homelessness did not begin with drugs, but with a divorce. A house, two cars, a job in care: it seemed like a stable life. “Until everything fell away at once,” he recalls. Debts piled up, grief was numbed with partying and drugs. During the pandemic, he finally ended up on the streets. “Every day was survival. From 8:00 a.m. you could go to the De Sluis day shelter (Rotterdam) to shower and warm up, but by four in the afternoon it closed, and the struggle began again. Sleeping outside, or hoping to find a place indoors for a while. It was hell.”
A coat that made a difference
During that time, Alan met Bob, a field worker from the Salvation Army. Their conversations built a foundation of trust. Bob helped Alan navigate the care system step by step and gave him a Sheltersuit to survive the cold nights.
“The most important thing was that you could zip it up completely. Your belongings were safe with you, and it gave you a kind of cocoon. One drawback though,” Alan grins, pointing at the pocket. “When it rained, water would seep in through the pockets. But otherwise… I still have it. It’s part of my story.”
From the streets to a key
The road to his own home was anything but straight. Clinics, temporary studios, rejections, back to the streets. Until Housing First finally gave him the green light. In January 2024, Alan got the key. The first half year remained difficult—his house served more as a clubhouse than a safe place. But the birth of his daughter brought new responsibility. “I knew: if I keep going like this, I’ll lose her. I didn’t want that.”
With support from counselors and organizations, he chose another path. He has now been clean for almost ten months. Every week he attends a CA meeting, and for the past two months, he has been active as a client council member at the Salvation Army, supporting others still in shelters or on the street.
I’ll never let go of my Sheltersuit
- Alan, formerly homeless -
Looking ahead
What troubles Alan most is how difficult it is to break out of homelessness and addiction permanently. Many remain trapped in the daily struggle to survive. That’s exactly why he wants to share his story. Not to ask for pity, but to show that change is possible.
“Many people think homeless people choose this life. Of course, I made mistakes. But no one chooses to sleep outside. No one chooses the cold, the loneliness. What you need is someone who keeps seeing you and doesn’t give up. That can make the difference.”
Day by day
Als je Alan vraagt naar de toekomst, is zijn antwoord bescheiden: dag voor dag. Clean blijven. Zijn studie tot ervaringsdeskundige afronden. Contact houden met zijn kinderen en familie. En verder bouwen aan een leven dat weer van hem is.
Hij pakt nog een keer de Sheltersuit van de stoel. “Deze jas herinnert me eraan waar ik vandaan kom. Maar ook aan de mensen die er voor me waren toen ik niets had. Dat gun ik iedereen.”
What you can do
For more than 40,000 people in the Netherlands, a safe night’s sleep is not a given. A Sheltersuit is not a solution to homelessness, but it is essential protection against cold and rain. With your support, we can help more people like Alan make it through the night.
Donate now and give someone warmth and safety.
