To read ‘I Just Want a Home’ click: here
Over the course of a year, this project followed three unhoused residents of Harrisonburg, Virginia: Spider, Heather and Buck. Through long days, cold nights and moments of both hardship and joy, their lives reveal the complex realities of homelessness in the Shenandoah Valley.
Spider lives in a small tent hidden outside the city limits, navigating the uncertainty of life without permanent shelter. Heather spent years living in her car before losing it, relying on shelters, libraries and the kindness of others to make it through each day. Buck, a veteran living in a wheelchair, moves through the city with resilience and humor despite the challenges of life on the streets.
Together, their stories are not simply about homelessness. They are stories of loss, survival, friendship, dignity and hope. Over the course of a year, they experienced theft, unemployment, harsh winters, small victories and moments of unexpected laughter. By spending time with each of them, this project seeks to move beyond stereotypes and statistics, offering a closer look at the people behind a growing crisis and the lives they continue to build despite extraordinary circumstances.
I wrote and photographed this story which went on to win first places in both feature writing, and photo story at the Virginia Press Awards.
Spider stands outside his tent in a wooded area outside Harrisonburg, Va. While experiencing homelessness, Spider lives in a small tent and relies on local service providers and shelters when available.
Spider laughs outside her tent near Harrisonburg, Va., after discovering that many of her belongings had been stolen. Despite the loss, she found humor in the situation and remained optimistic.
Spider digs through a fire at her campsite in the George Washington National Forest. Spider splits her time between shelters and the campsite, where she said she feels happiest and most at peace.
Spider values her solitude but worries about her safety after someone robbed her tent. She fears the person responsible may return while she is there.
Spider rests inside a homeless shelter in Staunton, Va., on Feb. 4, 2026. "You learn to carry everything you own and still have room left over for hope," Spider said.
After four years of experiencing homelessness, Stephanie Spider works with Our Community Place to receive housing assistance and secure a permanent home.
Staff members of Our Community Place pose for a group photograph in Harrisonburg, Va. Many members of the organization's staff have experienced homelessness themselves, bringing firsthand knowledge to their work serving unhoused residents in the Shenandoah Valley.
Heather cleans herself at a gas station near Harrisonburg, Va., on Sept. 18, 2025. Without permanent housing, she relies on public facilities for basic necessities including bathing and personal hygiene.
Heather sits in her car in Harrisonburg, Va. After living in the vehicle for three years, it broke down in a Dollar General parking lot one year ago. As colder weather approaches, she worries most about surviving the winter months.
Heather writes “YOLO” in calligraphy for fun while sitting inside her car, where she and her boyfriend Damon lived for nearly three years before the vehicle was taken in January. The couple had moved into the car after Heather could no longer afford rent following the loss of one of her service-industry jobs.
Heather says boredom makes her feel like she is going insane. “I just don’t know what to do at all anymore,” she says.
Heather sits outside the car she has called home for the past three years in Harrisonburg, Va. Recently laid off from her job at Tacos 4 Life, a restaurant that helps provide meals to people facing food insecurity, she now faces an uncertain future while struggling to meet her own basic needs.
Heather sits inside her car in Harrisonburg, Va., while taking a break from the day's challenges. The vehicle functioned as both transportation and shelter during more than three years of housing instability.
Heather sits inside a shelter in Harrisonburg, Va. She often thinks about her childhood and remembers a time when she looked forward to waking up each morning. Now, with winter approaching and the loss of the vehicle she once relied on for warmth, she worries about how she will survive the cold months ahead.
After losing her car, Heather spends much of her day at the Massanutten Regional Library in downtown Harrisonburg, where she continues to enjoy practicing calligraphy.
Bucks sits in his wheelchair along a street in Harrisonburg, Va., on Sept. 5, 2025. Bucks has experienced homelessness while living in the Shenandoah Valley.
Buck, a double-leg amputee, worries about his health after a doctor recently told him his remaining leg would soon need to be removed.
Buck, a double-leg amputee, sits in his wheelchair while wearing his favorite “USA” sunhat in downtown Harrisonburg. After losing both legs to diabetes, Buck moved to Harrisonburg in search of a more comfortable living situation. He spends his days on a friend’s porch and is writing a memoir