Kevin Gage, one of our longest serving volunteers, is the perfect example of Kittery’s community values.
Poverty struck Kevin suddenly, and all at once. He went from a stable job of 25 years and living with his girlfriend to a life void of both. Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of his control, his company laid him off, along with many other dedicated employees. But his problems didn’t stop there. To compound his woes, his girlfriend passed during an unexpected accident. Where did that leave Kevin?
Jobless, alone, and homeless. He managed to survive by living out of Boston’s South Station. A gruesome living condition lacking showers, beds, and privacy. Yet, Kevin looks back on those times with positive affect. It wasn’t all bad. He had the comradery of fellow South Station homeless friends, food from some of the vendors at the station, and quick access to cheap trips around the city via the T. Kevin spent 5 months down in the tunnels until finally calling his sister to pick him up from Kittery Point.
“I never thought I’d end up homeless.”
Now in the Kittery area, Kevin gained the support of the community to find a solution to his homelessness. His new social work counselor introduced him to Fair Tide, where he began getting the help he desperately deserved. He describes Fair Tide as somewhere that will,
“Help ya survive the cruel world.”
In 2002 Kevin moved into our Fair Tide House. He lived in his very own spacious studio apartment, equipped with the newest of appliances and friendliest of neighbors. He talks about the Fair Tide experience as something encompassing more than just a quick-fix to homelessness. Kevin eagerly learned how to adjust back into society, after spending months homeless. He talks a lot about how Fair Tide’s case manager helped him become self-sufficient. He relearned important skills such as how to cook, go grocery shopping, and scheduling appointments. Kevin says the most impressive thing he’s learned to cook from Fair Tide is a nice steak!
Kevin describes Fair Tide as an overall great experience with great employees and case management. He says that one of his favorite memories from living in the Fair Tide House were the backyard barbecue parties. He equates these barbecue parties to graduation parties, every time someone graduated the Fair Tide program and left the House they were thrown a big celebration. And at the end of his 18 month stay, Kevin enjoyed his own graduation party. It’s worth mentioning that this occurred more than a decade ago, before Fair Tide moved from a transitional housing, to a permanent housing structure.
“It’s like a family in itself.”
Kevin left Fair Tide with new life skill sets, stable support systems in place, and a plan for his future. He was able to afford an apartment after getting a job at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where he cleaned offices. Meanwhile, Kevin also spent time volunteering at Fair Tide’s thrift store about 6 days a week.
Now, almost 16 years after graduating from Fair Tide’s program, Kevin lives in Kittery Estates where he says he enjoys 3 meals a day and a surplus of different activities to choose from at any given time. He continues to volunteer and visit Fair Tide’s thrift store at least 4 times a week, organizing items and shopping for new clothes, books, or magazines. Kevin currently has a stack of books in his apartment, from Fair Tide, that he’s got lined up in his reading queue.
He is so eternally grateful for the support of the community that he spends his free time volunteering here at the thrift store and serving as one of Fair Tide’s Board of Directors. He recently completed two, 3-year terms on the Board and is excited about the possibility of being reelected again in the future. He felt that his time on the Board was spent wisely and worthwhile, stating that he thought he was able to contribute by improving Fair Tide’s program and, inevitably reducing homelessness. Kevin was especially passionate about the improvements toward adding more workforce housing.
Kevin has unintentionally become an icon of the Kittery community. Although in good spirits, he arrived here homeless and in need of support, so he and his sister looked toward the Kittery community to help. At a time when Kevin was in urgent need of assistance, the community stepped up and pointed Kevin in the right direction. In turn, he has returned the favor many times over through his charitable actions. He has helped make Kittery a stronger community and Fair Tide a better program. As thankful as Kevin is to us for helping him out of homelessness, we are equally as thankful for all that Kevin has done to support the thrift store and Fair Tide program.
“I think I’m a happy-ending story.”