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Lying on a thin mattress with 49 others in the surrounding small area may not sound so comfortable. However, for these men, this is the alternative to homelessness in the level one program at the Transitional Initiatives Men’s Empowerment Services (TIMES) Center.

“Winter comes, [and] all of a sudden the demand for housing out-strips the supply, not surprisingly,” said TIMES Center Supervisor Jason Greenly, who has held this position for approximately three months.

The Center, 70 E. Washington St., Champaign, offers 70 available spots for single homeless men.

“There is a misconception that we are a shelter,” said Greenly. “We are not a shelter. We are a transitional living program. We provide emergency services in the sense that our soup kitchen is open to everyone at the same time. We allow showers for anyone who needs one.”

Although the soup kitchen and showers are available for the community, this facility provides a treatment program for men only.

“The guys who are signed in here who are a part of the TIMES center are in a treatment program,” said Greenly. “The treatment being becoming not homeless. Finding a place to live. Getting and maintaining a job. And even before that, if they need to, obtain an ID, clearing up any bills or legal stuff that they need to clear up.”

The Center consists of staff members who continuously help the men work through the program.

Two program levels exist in the Center. Level one is where 50 men stay and work on becoming “not-homeless,” said Greenly.

Also, the 50 men are divided up between five recovery advocates (RA), who meet with each man at least once a week to “make sure that the guys are making progress on their treatment goals,” said Greenly.

When one year has passed, a man must either move up to level two or leave the center, depending on their individual progress.

In level two, the 20 men live in sort of a dormitory, Greenly said.

“They’re tiny rooms, they’ve got two beds, a locker, a separate closet, and a nightstand,” said Greenly. “We actually charge people for staying there. At most, $150 per month, and that’s based on their income. You get the semi-private room; it’s a whole separate bathroom. You get a couple extra privileges here … [There are] not nearly as many people bothering you. So there are some perks, but [the men] are held to all the same rules.”

A man in the level two program can stay for a total of two years.

“It’s not like when you’re exactly at two years we boot someone out the door,” said Greenly. “Our goal is to make sure someone is not homeless. [But] it never gets stretched for more than a couple of weeks. Because as the day approaches, we’ll be even more on top of them to say ‘What have you done, what are you doing?’”

Residents of the Center are required to save 60 percent of their income, so when they leave they have some savings.

After leaving the Center, many residents desire to return.

“They may maintain some friendships here, so certainly for the first few months we may see them,” said Greenly. “And in a few cases, we have some of these guys come back and want to volunteer … we have a number of people here, volunteers, who are former residents, which is nice too because they provide a good role model.”

Greenly also said the Center attempts to push people from level one to level two because “it’s just so much nicer.”

However, not every resident at the Center wants to be a part of a “nicer” environment in level two.

Steven Cole, a resident of level one for two and a half weeks, left the Champaign area 15 years ago and has lived in several cities within the country. He plans to pursue Community Driver’s License (CDL) School to attain his trucker’s license.

Because he grew up here, he says he doesn’t necessarily want to be located in Champaign.

“[I] don’t want to move to level two,” he said. “Those people look comfortable. As long as I’m uncomfortable, I’ll get out.”

Although the men attain jobs on their own, they are able to use resources; Greenly and the rest of the staff can refer the men to helpful services.

“Anyone who wants to make a major change in their lives and is committed to it will find that they can make it,” said Greenly. “There [are] lots of good examples of guys who have come in here, worked the program the way it’s supposed to be worked. They save their money, they move out.”

After a month and a half of residing within the level one program, Brian, who did not wish to give his last name, is staying at the center temporarily. Since he recently lost his apartment, he is motivated to work through the program.

“[I will stay] as long as it takes,” he said. “Save some money.”

Brian also voiced his opinion as to why other men are residing in the Center.

“Just getting back on your feet,” he said. “[It’s] not ‘cause you’re lazy or want to be a bum. Probably want to start all over.”

According to Greenly, a camaraderie exists among the men in level one.

“While the population out there is super diverse, they do obviously have two things in common,” said Greenly. “They’re all men, and they’re all homeless. They’re all kind of in the same boat.”

Being a part of this camaraderie, Brian has had the opportunity to interact with people like himself.

“[You] meet some pretty cool people [at] the same level as you are,” he said. “[The] majority of them are motivated.”

Although they might be motivated, it does not guarantee them jobs.

“A lot of people see 70 E. Washington Street [on an application] and crumple it up and toss it straight to the waste basket,” said Greenly. “Unfortunate.”

Although the residents are homeless for various reasons, Greenly maintains that they are “really trying to get back on their feet.”

No matter the reason for homelessness, the Center continuously provides ways to start anew.

“That is the job of everyone here: to ensure people, one at a time, are not homeless,” said Greenly.

Editor’s Note: Several names in this story have been changed for privacy reasons.