From Loss to Leadership: Ed's Inspiring Impact

“I never thought that homelessness would happen to me—at all. I had a Lexus, a house, a wife, kids, two cats in the yard, and all that. But it happened.”

Pictured: Ed Howard (Lead Veteran Outreach Specialist)

Ed Howard once turned to HomeFirst for help, but now, as our Lead Veteran Outreach Specialist, he helps others. He is guided by his lived experience as both a Veteran and someone who has experienced homelessness. It drives him to immerse himself in the Santa Clara community, identifying vulnerable Veterans experiencing homelessness that could benefit from HomeFirst's housing services.

After being raised in the Philippines by a military family, Ed moved to the United States at the age of 17 to serve in the Navy. In 1992, after years of service, he left the Navy to work in tech at a number of Silicon Valley companies. Ed’s life was good—he had a stable job, a house that he owned, and a unified family. But then the dot-com bubble burst, and so did Ed’s life. He lost his job, his house, and his marriage. He struggled to find new work and ended up living on the streets.

The harshness of living on the streets and the cold nights led him to HomeFirst. While living in one of our shelters, he enrolled in New Start—our work readiness program. He worked in the kitchen and janitorial departments before being hired full-time as a Resident Coordinator and Veteran Outreach Specialist. Regular employment gave Ed the financial stability to get back on his feet; he was able to move out of the shelter and into a place of his own.

In his new role, Ed helped plan the Veteran Stand Down, a resource fair for Veterans hosted by Santa Clara County’s Veterans Services Office. It brought together many vital services into one place, impacting over 800 Veterans in his first year.

Ed's story reminds us that with compassion, kindness, and support, finding your way back home is possible.