This story originally aired on May 28, 2016.
Kristi Hamilton had hit rock bottom. After the passing of her mother, repossession of her house, and a long stretch of severe drug and alcohol abuse, she found herself homeless. She found herself sleeping anywhere she could — a friend's house, her car, shelters, or behind a grocery store. But between a renewed faith and winning what is the equivalent of a lottery ticket if you are homeless, Hamilton pulled herself out of the darkness, and returned to a life filled with sobriety and a roof over her head.
It was not without it's challenges, however. Despite being awarded a housing choice voucher (better known as a Section 8 voucher), many rental buildings were resistant to approving someone with Hamilton's background. She had multiple evictions, as well as some misdemeanors on her record. She called and visited "hundreds" of locations before she found one that would let her move in.
Now, with a permanent address, Hamilton is embracing a life that she never thought she would have again — one with a roof over her head, and an alcohol and drug free life.
