Tami had been homeless on an off for several years, was 4 months pregnant and had a young daughter. She was in a transitional housing program with her husband and daughter until it ended after one year. She was attending Everest Community College for her Medical Assistant Certification. She successfully completed and received her certification. She did her externship at a medical clinic, got hired, and worked there for about 1 year until personal issues caused her to lose her job.
Tami, her husband and young daughter were living in the woods until it got too cold, forcing them to stay in a vehicle. Her husband moved in with his family. Tami, pregnant and with one child called everywhere to find shelter and other resources. Some of the agencies had long wait lists and others were not taking any applications. Tami kept calling The Family Shelter until she was screened for the next opening, waiting about 2 weeks for a room. Tami received TANF and looked into applying for Social Security Disability benefits due to mental health issues that make job retention very difficult.
After staying in the shelter for 3 months, Tami was referred to a program for the Chronically Homeless. This provides supportive living, including rapid rehousing during which the client typically pays 30% of their income towards rent. This program also includes ongoing case management services until the client becomes more independent. The Family Shelter will also continue to keep up with Tami on her family’s progress.
Tami and her daughter moved out of the shelter into their new apartment and Tami is very hopeful that after her baby is born, she can start the process of building a new life with her 2 children and learning how to become more independent and avoid homelessness in the future. The Family Shelter was a big part of making a difference in Tami’s life. giving her the encouragement and resources she needed to move forward in a positive and healthy way.