Meet Tijuan

Tijuan, a lifelong resident of Lancaster, is a single father and sole caregiver to his twenty-year-old son, Joshua, who is nonverbal.

In 2016, Tijuan and Joshua unexpectedly lost their housing. The building they were living in was not up to code, and they were suddenly forced to move out. Because he is his son’s primary caregiver, Tijuan has often struggled to find a job that works for their schedule. “I had to quit jobs because of the care situation,” he explains. This made finding housing that they could afford very challenging. With nowhere to go, they became homeless.

Tijuan sought help from Tenfold and was offered a room at TLC, Tenfold’s 52 room shelter for individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. At TLC, Tijuan and Joshua were able to stay together in a private unit, which provided comfort as they worked towards securing new housing. Tijuan worked with his TLC case manager to secure a Section 8 housing voucher, and eventually, he and Joshua moved into a new home.

For the next seven years, they remained stable in that housing. Then, in 2024, their landlord sold the property they were living in, and Tijuan and Joshua once again became homeless. “At one moment, you can have a home, and you can have everything, and then at the drop of a dime it can be taken away,” says Tijuan. “It can happen to anybody.”

Seeking help, Tijuan called 211, the Pennsylvania housing helpline. This was how he learned about Tenfold’s temporary shelter, which Tenfold opened in November of 2024. The temporary shelter, which was set up in Tenfold’s garage, provided a place for individuals experiencing homelessness to spend the night. Additionally, when Lancaster’s weather became dangerously cold, Tenfold began operating a Code Blue Shelter during the day.

Tijuan and Joshua started coming into the shelter to stay warm throughout the day. “That was a great experience,” Tijuan shares. “Even though it was an ordeal and a situation that we were going through… that was a comfort zone, where you could handle things and get things done. Having that time meant a lot.”

One evening, while Tijuan was in line for the shelter, he was recognized by Jen Gehman, Tenfold’s Director of Supportive Housing Programs. Jen had worked with Tijuan seven years earlier when he was first at TLC. After hearing about his current situation, she quickly worked with her team to get Tijuan enrolled in Pathways, Tenfold’s rapid rehousing program, which provides individuals experiencing homelessness case management to help them access sustainable housing.

Tenfold staff helped Tijuan access transportation, supported him as he communicated with the school district about Joshua’s needs, and referred him to community meals and other resources. Most importantly, they helped Tijuan look for housing. Tijuan still had his voucher for Section 8 housing, but he was running out of time to use it. If an individual with a Section 8 voucher is unable to find housing within their set timeframe they will lose their voucher, limiting their affordable housing options to almost none. This made finding housing particularly urgent.

Thanks to Tenfold’s help, and his own tireless efforts, Tijuan was able to secure new housing and retain his Section 8 voucher. Today, Tijuan and Joshua are settled into their new home. “My new place is terrific,” Tijuan shares. “It’s clean, it’s well-maintained, and it’s a nice neighborhood. It’s a great location for me and my son, and his school is right around the corner.” Tenfold continues to provide follow-up case management to support Tijuan and Joshua on their housing journey.

Reflecting on his experiences, Tijuan is grateful for all the support that Tenfold gave him. “If it wasn’t for the people at Tenfold, it could’ve been really, really rough,” he shares. “They’re amazing, and the staff is amazing, and the atmosphere is amazing. Even though it seems like everything is gloomy, there’s people there that care. It’s reassuring to know that you have people that care, and that gives you the energy to make it through a bad situation.”

Looking ahead to the future, Tijuan is working on securing long-term case management for Joshua, who is in his final year of school. He is also working on rebuilding their savings and hopes to find a part-time job that will work around Joshua’s schedule. Throughout all the struggles they’ve faced, Joshua has remained Tijuan’s top priority and his motivation to keep going. “It’s been a challenge, but it’s been good, too,” he shares. “We always made it through together.”

Tenfold’s TLC Shelter serves individuals, families, and veterans experiencing homelessness. At any given time, there are approximately 80-100 individuals living at TLC, including 30-45 children and 17-18 veterans. Families are never separated at TLC.

November 21st is the ExtraGive, Lancaster’s biggest day of fundraising for nonprofits! To donate to Tenfold during the 2025 ExtraGive, click here. Your support helps individuals like Tijuan achieve lasting stability.