Each year, Care For the Homeless honors people who have experienced homelessness and achieved incredible milestones in health, housing, and employment. Their stories are reminders that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to homelessness, but with access to health care, supportive services, and community support, success is possible.

Over the past year, Jacqueline has worked with the NYC Department for the Aging to help older adults re-enter the workforce. Her recent promotion to Assistant Borough Coordinator speaks volumes about her commitment and leadership. She has also become a powerful advocate as a member of our Consumer Advisory Board.

Jacqueline is a true example of transformation through service.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What is your name, and can you tell me about yourself?  

My name is Jacqueline Lloyd, and I’m an immigrant from Jamaica, West Indies. I came to the United States in 2006. When I first arrived, I was living in the state of Florida—in Fort Lauderdale, to be exact. 

In 2008, when the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal took off, we had to leave Florida because most of the jobs people relied on disappeared. Folks were heading north, so I headed with them—and that’s how I ended up in New York. 

I became homeless in 2023. One day, I was at the train station literally crying because I had nowhere to go, no place to sleep. A woman approached me and told me about the shelter system. I was very skeptical—I’d heard a lot of bad things about shelters and didn’t want to go. But she said she had stayed in the system herself and that it wasn’t as bad as people say. I took her advice and went straight to the intake shelter in the Bronx—the Franklin Intake Shelter. I arrived there on May 25, 2023. That was a Thursday. By Saturday, they had transitioned me to the 52nd Street Women’s Shelter, and I’ve been there ever since. 

How were you connected to Care For the Homeless? 

I was connected to Care For the Homeless through my director, Ms. Esquilin. A few months earlier, she had asked me to get involved, but at the time I wasn’t really feeling up to it. She didn’t ask me directly—she told my caseworker. When he mentioned it to me, I wasn’t interested. I just wanted to find housing. That was my main focus—I didn’t want to get involved in anything else. 

But after rethinking it, and after it was mentioned again, I decided to accept the offer. And here I am today. 

Can you tell us about your employment? 

I work for the Department for the Aging. I’m currently an intern, and my role is as a receptionist. The department helps older adults with many issues, but most of the time, we’re focused on helping them get back into the workforce. 

What does having this job mean to you? 

This job gave me my life back. It gave me my independence, my purpose, my hope. This job gave me back my life. 

What have been some of the most prominent obstacles that you have faced when you were finding your job or even maintaining it?  

Number one was not having a permanent address. And number two—my age. They say age isn’t a discriminatory factor, but it is. It’s subtle, but it’s there. 

What does this position mean for your future? How do you see yourself moving in the job? 

There’s room for growth. I’ve been there since June 3, 2024, and on Thursday I’m getting promoted—from receptionist to Assistant Borough Coordinator. 

What has been your favorite part about having this job? 

My favorite part is being able to help people—especially people who are in the same position I was in. I can guide them to the resources they need. Sometimes people come into the office with problems that are home-based, income-based, or health-related. I’m in a position to act as a navigator—not just a receptionist—so I can connect them with the help they’re looking for. 

And what advice would you give to anyone else who’s in a similar position to you that’s looking for employment? 

Don’t give up. It took me almost a year. I just held onto hope. Sometimes I’d come back to the shelter feeling beaten down, feeling downtrodden—but I didn’t lose hope. I kept going and going. And it worked out. Because there is no success without failures.