Connections That Feed Hope – Bebhinn’s Story

When you walk into the FOCUS Breakfast Club on a weekday morning, you might see Bebhinn chatting with guests over coffee or greeting someone new with a warm smile. But there was a time when she struggled to find a safe place to sleep. Today, FOCUS is more than just a breakfast spot for her; it is a community that has helped her rebuild her life and find purpose in helping others do the same.

A Journey Through Hardship

Bebhinn knows what it is like to live without a safety net. “I experienced homelessness from age 15 through 21,” she recalls. “Then again, in my 40s, after separating from my husband. I was homeless for two years.”

Around four years ago, Bebhinn met Joe Paparone, a community organizer with the Nonviolent Medicaid Army, New York State Poor People’s Campaign, and National Union of the Homeless. It wasn’t until shortly after she found stable housing that the two began organizing together to form the Homeless Union in Albany. “Joe’s an amazing leader,” Bebhinn says. “He thought my direct experience could help us connect with people at the FOCUS Breakfast. That is how I started going, to meet people and reach out.”

Bebhinn’s activism was personal. She had lost her stepbrother suddenly when he was experiencing homelessness and had seen firsthand how easily systems fail people in crisis. “I realized the healthcare and housing systems were broken,” she says. “I did not want anyone else to go through what my brother did.”

Finding Stability and Purpose

After years of instability, Bebhinn’s life began to turn around. She secured housing through a local grant program and her health started to improve. Soon after, she was hired as a full-time tenant organizer with United Tenants of Albany, work that allows her to help others facing housing insecurity.

Still, she says, life remains a balancing act. “Sixty percent of my income goes straight to rent,” she explains. “I am still heavily rent-burdened, so the FOCUS Breakfast helps me. I eat breakfast, sit down with others, and build relationships. It has kind of become a home for me.”

Those early conversations over breakfast laid the groundwork for the friendships and trust that would become the foundation for her next steps.

More Than a Meal

What Bebhinn found at FOCUS goes far beyond food. “The relationships I have built there, with Pastor Heather, Derek, Wells, Irene, and all the volunteers, give me a sense of community and support,” she says. “They make you feel safe and at home.”

One of her favorite memories was being invited to the "Long Table Dinner" at Westminster Presbyterian Church. This community meal brought together more than 100 people. “Pastor Heather asked me to speak about homelessness before dinner,” Bebhinn says. “That experience connected me with people I would not have met otherwise. It helped my leadership and personal growth.”

She has also seen transformation in others. “There was a woman who used to come in very agitated, yelling. I watched Wells and Derek approach her with so much compassion that she began to feel safe. Now she comes in, says good morning, and eats breakfast in peace. Most places would have asked her to leave. FOCUS makes people feel seen, heard, and valued.”

Building a Community of Care

Through her involvement with FOCUS and the homeless union, Bebhinn has met people from all walks of life, many who have faced extraordinary hardship. “People think homelessness happens because someone made bad choices,” she says. “That is not true. I have met people who lost everything in a fire, who got sick or injured, or who fled domestic violence. It is a series of events, and there is no safety net to catch people when they fall.”

That is why the FOCUS Breakfast matters, she says. “If FOCUS were not here, it would be devastating. Some people might end up in jail or state facilities without that stability. Some might starve. FOCUS gives people a sense of family and belonging.”

A Place Where Everyone Belongs

For Bebhinn, the spirit of FOCUS is simple but profound. “It is like a home, open and safe for everyone,” she says. “There is no religious pressure, no judgment. It does not matter who you are, where you come from, or what your faith is. You are welcome.”

As she looks ahead, Bebhinn hopes more people will support and get involved with FOCUS. “They have been doing this work for a long time,” she says. “FOCUS is saving lives on one level or another. Every donor should feel proud to be part of something so transformative.”

FOCUS helps neighbors in Albany find community, connection, and hope, one meal at a time.

Get involved or make a gift today.