Where Are They Now

Shanon Lacey

THEN, Shanon Lacey was living outdoors, as he had since the age of 14—first in Joliet, where he was born, and eventually in the city of Chicago. He got by mostly by panhandling. “My parents didn’t help me, but I’m nothing like them,” he says. “I’ve learned that as long as you live selfishly, you won’t really live.”

He struggled with addiction for many years and remembers that he was first connected with the Social Service Center through Fourth Church. “You can’t have one without the other,” he notes with a laugh. He had frequent encounters with the SSC’s Outreach team, as he was staying nearby, and would also come to the food pantry and Share Shop for groceries and clothing.

After achieving sobriety in 2019, Shanon took part in the SSC’s Open Doors project, which paired him with a caseworker who offered support as he worked toward reaching his goals. He was able to obtain identification documents and ultimately secure both housing and employment. He says he enjoyed getting to know new people from different backgrounds during the program, and that the work taught him “how to better myself, to look at others, and to help others. I like to help people,” he says. “I liked going out to help feed people. It’s good to realize we’re not the only ones who need help.”

A few years later, though, Shanon had a relapse and returned to homelessness. He once again came to the Social Service Center for assistance with clothing and food. Then in 2024, he was able to participate in a rapid rehousing program and has remained successfully housed and sober since then.

NOW, “I am basically a Chicago Lights success story,” Shanon says. “My life was horrible for 20 years until I found the way out.”

These days Shanon has an apartment near Back of the Yards, and while he’s still recovering from injuries sustained during his years of homelessness, he’s now starting a new job with UPS at O’Hare Airport. “I’m really excited about that,” he says. “I’m happy, and I’m ready. I’m not looking back. I’m going to learn whatever I need to.”

He recently stopped by the Social Service Center to greet some of his old friends on staff and pick up a blanket for his home. “We don’t see him very often anymore, and when that happens, it can leave us wondering whether someone is doing well or struggling,” notes Theresa Thornburg, director of the SSC. “It was immediately clear that Shanon is in a stable place. This reminded me of the privilege and importance of walking alongside someone in their highs and lows.”

Shanon says he is most proud of his sobriety, and he is committed to staying sober. “I surround myself with bright young guys who are sober,” he explains. “I tell them what I wish people had told me.”

He’s also devoted to his cats and to discovering what his future has to offer. “This is work. It’s not going to be easy,” he says. “I have to make sacrifices. I have to figure it out. No one is doing that for me.”

But he’s also optimistic about where this hard work and commitment can take him. “This isn’t my last job,” he says. “I could be a manager, a shot caller. Anything can happen.” And he’s centered and focused in a way he hasn’t always been before. “People’s souls are what’s important,” he says. “You have to be at peace. Faith and peace go hand in hand. God created you, so treat yourself accordingly.”