Transforming Lives - Building Community
Creating Change

Ollie McDonald



“When I first came to St. Mary's Center,
I was on the streets.
My personal transformation here is one of
my most valuable life experiences”
The Vietnam War had robbed Ollie’s mind of tranquility and perspective, leaving “big, empty spaces in my emotional life.” To fill the void, Ollie turned to street drugs and a destructive relationship. By the time he came to St. Mary’s Center, he had spent four months in Santa Rita jail, passed through numerous homeless shelters, and accumulated thousands of dollars in debt.

Ollie’s life started to change at St. Mary’s Center. Staying in the shelter, he took advantage of meeting with a case manager to help piece his life back together. He was one of the first residents in the Center’s Closer to Home, transitional housing program, acted as house manager, volunteered at the Center and went back to school.

Today, Ollie has overcome his drug addiction, made significant progress in paying off his debt, and moved into senior housing in downtown Oakland. Ollie is committed to helping others recently traveling to Sacramento with Senior Advocates for Hope and Justice to advocate on behalf of fellow seniors, faced with the threat of budget cuts.
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