Date: 2/17/17
Location: United Methodist Church
Participants: Paul and Parker
Profile of Interviewee:
- Male, mid 40’s
- White
- SB native
- Criminal Record
- Questionable substance abuse (current or prior)
- Unemployed
Summary: On February 17, we interviewed Rodney Smith (alias), at the Downtown Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry. Over the course of the last 15 years, Rodney has bounced around South Bend, living in the Center for the Homeless and many different friends’ apartments. He has a criminal criminal record (3 Felonies from the early 2000’s), a knee injury, and is recovering from substance abuse. We were able to learn many different things about the South Bend homeless community from his many experiences in various living arrangements. He is currently taking classes at the Center for the Homeless in hopes of landing a job interview when his knee is back to full health. Rodney seemed to be back on the right track in his life, but with a criminal record, an injury, and prior substance abuse, he was the first to admit that even finding an interview will not be an easy task.