Help for a family on the edge of homelessness

Billy Gibby is a father and husband, and has suffered with severe depression—a hallmark of his bipolar disorder—for a long time.



"I often felt I was a failure as both a father and a husband because I couldn't provide my family with a safe, affordable place to live," he recalls.

Before NeighborWorks Alaska came into his life, Gibby says he and his family and stayed in run-down apartments with leaking pipes or cheap hotels with bed bugs. They were usually surrounded by people involved with drugs and prostitution—and often on the edge of living on the streets.

"This broke my heart because I knew my wife and children deserved better. I realized I needed help," says Gibby. "It was at that time I learned I had bipolar disorder, and after help from counseling and antidepressants, I finally started to see hope in life."

With a new mindset, he knew there had to be a better way to live. He started researching apartments in town, but many were unaffordable. Then he discovered NeighborWorks Alaska and its properties in a booklet he read about local apartments.

"I was impressed by how nice its apartments looked. I knew I had to give it a shot and fill out the application," he recalls.

Every night, the family drove by the apartment development where they hoped to get a lease and talked about what life would be like if they could live there. Gibby's kids were so happy; they couldn't wait to play on the playground.

"Every time we drove by, they would say, 'We hope we can get in, it'll be the best home ever!'" he smiles.
To this day, Gibby says he still remembers getting that call from NeighborWorks Alaska's resident manager, telling him they had been accepted.

"Moving to this apartment has been the best thing that has ever happened to my family. From the moment we moved in, something changed in every member of my family. It was as if a spark of hope had been ignited in each of us," he says.

After moving into the apartment, Gibby started a new job with the same community mental health center that had helped him during his difficult times.

"Every day I come home from work, I feel hopeful because I have finally provided my family with a safe place to call home," he says.