After experiencing homelessness in New York City for nearly 15 years, Silvio Diaz needed a fresh start.
Diaz, who was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States in 2000, was able to work while managing a drinking addiction in his new home country. But that changed five years later, when he was introduced to crack cocaine — which set him on a path that involved spending most nights sleeping in train stations and on cold city streets.
“I’m a survivor,” said Diaz, who’s now 50 years old. “My younger sister tried to rescue me from the streets many times and I’d go to the detox or rehab program for a couple weeks, but then I’d relapse again and come back to the streets. I lost my way, and I was losing my soul.”…