J.’s family found themselves homeless after their home was deemed unlivable. “After paying all the high utility bills only to get put out with 10 dollars to our name.” They even lost all the food they had just bought grocery shopping. “My health declined, and I even started feeling like a failure and not the caring person.”
Some of the challenges they faced were living in their vehicle, living and sleeping in motel parking lots, then going to stay with a friend, “…only for that to blow up in our face,” she says. “If it wasn’t for the school our boys go to helping, we would’ve been forced to give everything up, jobs, etc. to make funds to go back to Wisconsin.” J.’s family even had to sell or pawn personal items and kids’ game systems just to get necessities. “It was a struggle, but the school workers and teachers helped tremendously.” J. mentioned that there are things we take for granted as housed people. “Once [Family Promise] accepted us, we was grateful and eager to take a shower and to finally use a toilet instead of driving around to locate a working toilet.”
Luckily, J.’s family came to Family Promise with income which expedited their housing. “My family moved in with jobs. It helped being able to keep our boys in school and not having to quit because the school hours interfered with work. It’s a great feeling to be leaving but we will miss all the employees. My kids enjoyed they time here to the point they said they coming to keep helping Miss Patte keep it clean and her stress down.” J. had one final thing to say, “No matter your situation everyone has a fall down moment. You just got to keep fighting to reach where or what makes you happy.”
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