NEW YORK (PIX11) — The challenges created by addiction impact New York City’s homeless every day, becoming a vicious cycle of poverty. At the Reality House in Queens, there are 28 people trying to rebuild their lives.
The men who live at the Reality House have been looking forward to a visit from New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Christopher Greco, a 47-year-old from Bayside, Queens, never dreamed he would be face to face with the lieutenant governor. He couldn’t wait to tell him his story and how he got a second chance at life.
Greco is just one of the 28 men who live at the non-profit transitional housing facility on Astoria Boulevard. Greco’s life took a dramatic turn on April 28, 2022. He woke up at a Brooklyn hospital in a detox center after being homeless for five months and addicted to alcohol.
Greco spent six months in a drug and alcohol program. On Nov. 6, he came to the Reality House, and it saved his life. Greco is healthy now and sober. He’s ready to work and give back.
Delgado said the Hochul administration plans to invest more than $30 million annually in alternatives to incarceration and detention programming. The administration will also spend $6.5 million to fund current rental and supportive services in residential recovery units like the Reality House.
The chief program officer at Reality House is Michael Cannaday, who said housing is key to their transformation. Additionally, they offer counseling and job training.
