What the Day Center Means to Me
I came to the HIV Day Center at a time in my life when I was lost in addiction and experiencing houselessness. I was in desperate need of community—a safe space where I could simply exist without judgment. The HIV Day Center gave me that.
I found more than just a place to be. I was given access to showers, two warm meals a day and a kind community. I also received services like healing touch and foot care—things that may seem small to some, but meant the world to someone like me, who felt undeserving and forgotten. For the first time in a long time, I felt cared for. I used the computers available to clients to reconnect with family I hadn’t spoken to in years, apply for jobs, and stay in touch with my medical team and other service providers. All of these resources contributed to the foundation I needed to begin rebuilding my life.
Today, I work at CAP Northwest (formerly Cascade AIDS Project) as a peer support specialist. It still amazes me that I now come to the HIV Day Center not as someone seeking help but as someone who has the privilege of offering help.
For many people who come to the Day Center, I’m a familiar face who understands what they’re going through, because I’ve lived it myself. Some people remember seeing me during the hardest time in my life, when I was struggling with addiction and trying to find my way. Standing before them today as a person who rebuilt their life can be very impactful, reminding them that change is possible.
One of the most meaningful parts of being a peer support specialist is welcoming new clients to the HIV Day Center. I give tours, answer questions and show people that this is a safe place where they will be treated with dignity and respect. Watching the tension leave someone’s face as they realize they’ve found a place where they belong is something I’ll never tire of. In those moments, I see the same sense of relief and peace that I felt when I first walked through those doors.
Every day, I go to work with a purpose: to help people work toward their own goals and be a source of encouragement during difficult moments. Sometimes that means helping someone navigate resources. Sometimes it means simply listening without judgment. Sometimes it’s reminding someone that they still matter, even if they can’t see it for themselves. Being able to reignite an individual’s hope is something I never take for granted.
When I'm at the Day Center, I also help distribute food boxes two days a week to people experiencing food insecurity. Alongside Day Center clients, we’ve started a garden where we grow fresh food together and learn about healthy, organic eating. It’s become more than just a garden—it’s another way to build community, create connection and remind one another that growth is always possible.
The HIV Day Center didn’t just provide me with services—it gave me hope, dignity and a path forward. It gave me a community that believed in me before I believed in myself. Now, every time I walk through those same doors, I can be that source of hope for someone else.
Written by Christopher Murillo, a former HIV Day Center client and currently a peer support specialist for CAP Northwest (formerly Cascade AIDS Project). He is also a farmer with NOW Nature Farms in Damascus, Ore., an ambassador for the MLK Dream Run and one of the founders of the Collective Dream Project. Through his work in peer support, farming, community engagement and advocacy, Christopher is committed to creating opportunities for connection, healing, growth and hope. His own journey of rebuilding his life continues to inspire his commitment to helping others see that change and a better future are possible..
