Being alone and homeless is tough. It’s much more difficult with three young children. Liz had a good amount of savings to stay in motels while she looked for permanent housing; however, the funds depleted quickly and Liz found herself homeless with her two sons and one daughter, ages 2, 3, and 5. She and her children went to the shelter as a last resort. Liz admits, the shelter was “not what I expected” and felt uneasy bringing her children there.
While staying at the shelter, Liz took her family to the Marian House Soup Kitchen for a daily meal. She found out about the services at the Family Day Center.
“I was hesitant at first,” Liz admitted, “But when I found out someone could help watch the kids, I thought it would be great to be able just to breathe and do what I needed to do.”
Liz’s sons both show early signs of autism. She found it difficult to work on the computer and accomplish goals while attending to their needs. At the Family Day Center, trained childcare workers can watch her children while she works in the Computer Lab. Liz recalled, “I could tell that I could trust them when I walked in.”
With individualized attention from dedicated volunteers, Liz plotted a plan to being searching for housing. “I’m not computer savvy,” Liz acknowledged how she needed help to do research and fill out online applications. Liz especially appreciates the access to food, clothing, and other services all on one site as her car recently broke down. She found it difficult to walk back and forth between the shelter and the Marian House considering a hernia in her back, the hot summer weather, and her young children. However, she keeps a positive attitude, “I just want to find a place to live and take things one step at a time.”
For individuals like Liz, the Marian House is a refuge where their children are safe, and they can access the services they need while in crisis.
