Getting Support through Homelessness

Serena had three children – an eight-year-old and seven-month-old twins. She came into an appointment with Family Promise seeking shelter. 

Serena had no income. She had to stop working to take care of her babies because she didn't have child care. She was alternating staying at her mother's house and in her car with the kids because she didn’t want to be a burden on her mother. ​

The Family Promise staff worked with Serena to connect her to the Department of Health and Human Services, to receive food stamps and a child care subsidy. They were also able to connect her to the YMCA after-school programs, and Head Start for her twins and gave her a list of licensed child care providers. ​

Together, they came up with a plan which allowed her children to be cared for using the subsidies to help. Serena was able to go back to work, using her cosmetology license to make an income. After securing this plan, she felt more comfortable staying with her mother more consistently as she knew there was an end in sight.​

The navigation and outreach support service allowed the family to create a self-driven plan which connected them to needed financial and child care resources. This allowed the family to avoid needing emergency shelter, saving this limited resource for another family in need. The outreach that Family Promise provided set Serena and her children up for success in all areas: health, education, housing, and access to basic needs.​