August 2024 Newsletter

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A Stable Place

Several life changing events, that were out of Jessica’s control, caused her to be without a home.

Life had been reliable and promising for several years. She was married, a stay-at-home wife with two children. Her husband worked, and they were saving to buy their first home. In the meantime, they rented a nice three bedroom house with a yard.

However, divorce shattered their hope of becoming homeowners. Jessica became a single mother, found a job barely making over minimum wage, and stayed in the house paying the rent on her own. Generously, the understanding landlord did not raise her rent for 16 years.

Then the next variable of renting a house happened, the owner passed away and their home was sold. Jessica and her two, now grown yet dependent, children had to leave the place that held so many fond memories. She was unprepared for the sudden need to move out, because at that point she had quit her job to care for one of her children that was seriously ill. Just as her child was recovering, they became homeless. She said it was very traumatizing.

They went to a temporary shelter but timed out of it without a housing plan. She had signed up for HUD subsidized housing, but the wait was longer than that shelter would allow her to stay. The Mission’s Samaritan Inn rescued her.

She said, “It’s comforting to know that I have a stable place with a roof over my head and knowing I don’t have a time limit to move out. I’m grateful for being here and for the friendships I have made. I enjoy chapel, the spiritual food, the music is wonderful, and the warmth between women that have a respect for God.”

As long as she is actively pursuing housing options, she can stay at Samaritan Inn. Our purpose is to get people into permanent housing. She is employed full-time again, taking responsibility for herself and her children. Before long, Jessica will have a stable place of her own again.