When Phillip first walked into the Rialto Clubhouse in the Inland Empire nearly ten years ago, he didn’t expect it to become a home. He had been referred by the VA after realizing the PTSD group he attended wasn’t the right fit. What started as a simple referral became something deeper: a second chance at community, purpose and healing.
The Rialto Clubhouse is a peer-support space where veterans and community members can connect, work toward recovery and rebuild their lives together. For Phillip, it became the place where he learned how to move forward without giving up on himself.
Phillip’s story stretches back to his teenage years. At 17, after getting in trouble with the law, he was presented with two options: either jail or the military. He chose the U.S. Marine Corps. In boot camp, he learned discipline, perseverance and brotherhood. Those values stayed with him, even when life took difficult turns.
Phillip served during the Vietnam War era. Though he wasn’t sent overseas, he watched many fellow Marines deploy to combat. The uncertainty, the losses and the abrupt shift back to civilian life left a lasting mark.
Returning home was harder than expected. The structure of the Marines did not easily translate to daily life. Searching for belonging, he began spending time with people who used substances as a way to cope. What started as an escape became a habit that led to years of struggle.
Phillip eventually began recovery through the 12-Step Program. The most meaningful part, he says, was making amends: writing letters to those he had hurt and taking responsibility for his past.
However, even in sobriety, he faced housing instability. At one point, he was denied a housing voucher because he did not meet the requirement of where it is required to have “three episodes of homelessness in three years,” as he said. He had only two. He experienced homelessness more than once before finally receiving a HUD voucher with help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about six months ago.
Now he has a one-bedroom apartment in Redlands. However, rising housing costs make it challenging. “I remember paying $100 in rent,” he said. “Now I’m paying nearly $1,900.”
Despite the obstacles, Phillip remains hopeful. He says doing things “the right way” has not always been easy, but honesty and patience have helped him stay grounded.
Pacific Clinics has clubhouses with available military and family services throughout San Bernardino County, with locations in Rialto, Lucerne Valley, Needles, San Bernardino, Yucaipa, Yucca Valley, and a new clubhouse set to open in Apple Valley.
For more information, call: 877-PC-CARES (722-2737).
