Keven

Keven and Jayne are two of the many Woonsocket residents who have moved into the new OpenDoors shelter since it opened this year. After forty years of living in Woonsocket, they never imagined they would find themselves without a home. When the family became unable to afford their rent in the summer of 2025, they bounced from one motel to another until they learned about the OpenDoors shelter. “This is our first time in a shelter,” says Jayne. “I don’t want to be here come winter, but we are glad we found this place.” Keven feels the same: “I’m grateful because at least I’m not in the street. It’s a place to live for now until eventually I get my own apartment.”

Keven has kept his spirits up and is always ready with a story, from his days delivering weapon shipments in Vietnam to his work as an extra in ‘Bleed for This,’ a major motion picture about a Providence boxer. He says he hopes to find a new place to live with the help of the Veteran’s Association, but until then, he’s making the most of his stay at the shelter. The property has a small lawn and a grill that Keven used to hold a barbecue for the other residents and staff: “I was greatly appreciative that they let us in, so last weekend I got burgers for a cookout."