Just-in-Time Housing Doesn't Stop There
The Challenge
One day in 2003, Dannele and Frank Kea received a call from their landlord telling them he had sold their house. They had just 11 days to find a new place to live. “I always tried to be the strong-willed person”, Dannele says. “I thought, ‘I’ve got a good job, I shouldn’t be homeless.’ Finally I had to admit that yes, we needed help.” Faced with the daunting prospect of living in their car while they scrambled to find a new home, Frank, Dannele, and their three sons (aged 3 to 13), put everything into storage and prepared for the worst. If they stayed at the Eugene Mission, the family would be split up and Dannele would be unable to keep her late-night job because of the Mission’s curfew rules. Then, just in time, the Keas discovered ShelterCare’s Family Housing Program.
The Solution
ShelterCare's Family Housing Program provided the Keas with temporary housing and support for two months while helping them to find a new home. Staff took care of the family’s basic needs with bus passes, gas vouchers, and food boxes, and were able to help the Keas with a portion of the deposit for their new apartment. Dannele appreciated the understanding and support her family received from ShelterCare's staff. “They were always there when we needed them,” she says. “They never looked down on us, and I always had a warm reception from everyone. Our experience at ShelterCare was wonderful.” Dannele particularly liked how the program promoted family unity and independence, providing the family with their own living and cooking space in an apartment, rather than a shelter. “We felt safe because we knew they couldn’t just come in and split us up,” she says.
The Outcome
Once the Keas succeeded in gaining permanent, stable housing, they joined ShelterCare’s transition program, which supports recently homeless families in order to break the cycle of homelessness. When Dannele lost her job and the family was fighting for Frank’s SSI, their ShelterCare advocate, Molly, immediately linked them with programs to keep the rent paid and the lights on. Whenever one of the Kea kids had a birthday, Molly brought over presents. And the first Christmas in their new apartment, when the family had no money left after their move-in deposit, Molly obtained gifts for the Keas through a generous ShelterCare sponsor. Thanks to much hard work by the Keas with support from ShelterCare, the family has enjoyed a stable living situation in the same apartment for the past two years.
The Organization
ShelterCare’s mission is to shelter and support families and individuals, providing each an opportunity to live the fullest life possible in an environment that fosters well-being and success. The agency serves homeless families, adults disabled by brain injury, and adults with severe, persistent mental illness.
more about the organization