Born and raised in Anchorage, Zander faced many challenges early on, especially in school. He was sent to behavioral treatment multiple times, including a 51-day wilderness rehabilitation program when he was 11-years-old and 6 months at a behavioral health treatment center in Texas for the first half of his 8th grade year. As he transitioned out of behavioral health treatment, he moved between a group home, his dad’s house, a youth shelter, and a therapeutic foster home. 

“That’s when I had my first contact with the street lifestyle and first time associating with the biker lifestyle to include chop shops and narcotics the beginning of my freshman year.” In the summer of 2015, he tried meth for the first time and started criminal behaviors. “I did 27-and-a-half months as a juvenile with several diversion attempts like a youth program in Ketchikan. I ran away from the youth program and ended up getting a B1 (18 months or until your 19th birthday) sentence.” 

Yet he still graduated high school a semester early with a scholarship while in juvie and went to school on a Pell Grant for a semester studying human relations and business. He rented a room from someone in exchange for mechanical work and was a dishwasher and cook for a little while. In August 2018, he went to substance abuse treatment for meth addiction in Washington, but one week from graduating the 9-week after-care program, he ended up relapsing.

Zander found The Coffee Oasis drop-in center in February 2019 when he was staying at The Salvation Army. “I was coming to The Coffee Oasis for food, clothes, and laundry. That clothing closet has been a lifesaver more than once.” He then began staying at the Coffee Oasis shelter in March. He struggled to follow the rules and temporarily had to leave, but made amends with staff and was able to return. “My most memorable moment with The Coffee Oasis was when Pat, my Case Manager, put in 110% effort helping me get a job at a flooring installation company. He got me a phone so I could do work and helped me get work gear. When he saw that I was on a break in addiction, he helped me to succeed.”

In June of 2023, Zander spent four days in detox at Kitsap Recovery Center. This time, he called Oxford Houses, a shared housing residence for people in recovery from substance use disorders, and was accepted into the housing program. He has been there ever since. “I’ve been elected into a chapter officer position and am a trusted maintenance man at the AA Hall. I started my own business doing small projects and demos and chose to enroll in school full-time for welding.” He is currently in his second quarter of a two year AA program.

Zander reflects on his experience of being homeless. “Housing plays a major role in my sobriety, because it’s hard to be homeless and sober. Especially in bad weather. Selling was a means of survival. One of the biggest things that impacted me when I was sober was having a fridge to store my food. To the extent it made me cry.”

Staff at The Coffee Oasis have remained a constant through the ups and downs of Zander’s journey. He is grateful for the services that have been provided. “It’s provided me with tents and cold weather gear and items and food in my times of greatest need.” He is also thankful for the positive support of staff. “Anytime I came in, Lancy, the Office Manager, would always put a smile on my face when I was having a rough day. Everyone is always so supportive of my accomplishments.” 

Zander has a bright future ahead. He enjoys fishing, camping, working with disabled youth, and mentoring youth who have gone through similar experiences. He looks forward to graduating with his Associates in Science Technologies of Welding and being able to own his own home. He would like to have a family someday. One of his goals is to get into youth outreach, to go into schools with The Coffee Oasis staff to share his story with youth.

Zander expressed that he believes there is great need for The Coffee Oasis to offer more housing for youth. “I think this would really help the youth in the community, because each year the youth at-risk number goes up.”