CHR Resident Spotlight: Rogelio Martinez

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

For a while, the first thing Rogelio Martinez saw when he opened his eyes each morning was the inside of his car. It’s not where he expected his path to take him.

Emigrating from the Dominican Republic in 1996, Martinez worked hard to build a new life in the United States. He and his wife came to Florida in 2018, and within a year, he landed a job in grounds maintenance at the Sanctuary Golf Club, Sanibel.

“I really like my job,” said Martinez. “I enjoy the pay. I’m treated very well.”

Martinez held onto these good feelings even when his marriage ended and his Cape Coral house was sold. He parked his car at a Publix parking lot and lived in it, dutifully showing up at Sanctuary to do the work he enjoyed.

Then, Martinez’s boss found out he was living in his car. Sanctuary Golf Course Superintendent Kyle Sweet immediately connected Martinez to Community House & Resources.

“The application process was easy, mainly because of the excellent help I received from my boss,” Martinez said. “I am so very grateful for all of the individuals placed in my path and who helped me along the way.”

When he first saw it, Martinez fell in love with his CHR rental home. Now, he’s encouraging others who struggle to afford a place to live in Sanibel to contact the agency.

“I would recommend CHR to anyone who wants to live in El Mejor Llugar, which means the best place,” said Martinez. “CHR has treated me extremely well, like family. I feel so lucky.”