Almost a year ago, Toricha moved to Lansing, Michigan, to be closer to her family and move in with her mother while searching for permanent housing. Her neighborhood in Indiana had become too violent. After a neighborhood shooting resulted in bullets entering her home, Toricha did not feel her family was safe. Despite the support network of her family in Michigan, Toricha struggled to find affordable housing in an unfamiliar area.
In desperate need of help and support, Toricha turned to Haven House. This familiar resource proved to be a significant lifeline to Toricha’s mother, Gwendolyn, just years earlier. With the assistance of outreach services, Toricha secured affordable housing without ever having to stay at the shelter. Not only does she have a home for herself and her kids, buts she’s found additional support through our follow-up program, Partners In Progress.
Toricha went from homeless to housed thanks to the service and support provided by Haven House supporters like you. Then, she helped her mom and niece through their housing crises.
A short time after Toricha moved into her new home, Gwendolyn learned that her landlord would not be renewing her lease. Gwendolyn and her granddaughter Jenaisica were left with nowhere to go. Fortunately, they were able to move in with Jenaisica’s mother, Latoya. Through our outreach program, Jenaisica and eventually Gwendolyn secured permanent housing and are now actively involved in our Partners in Progress program.
“Partners In Progress and the outreach program are a blessing for people. Haven House provides long-term support other shelters cannot,” said Toricha.
All three women have successfully maintained their housing by managing their monthly budgets and paying their rent and utilities on time every month before other expenses. They get support with household budgeting and goal setting from Pam, our Housing Resource Specialist. Pam has helped the three women learn how to set realistic goals, maintain income, arrange childcare, and connect with their neighborhood and community.
While Jenaisica is able to maintain her rent, getting into an apartment was not so easy. Jenaisica explained, “I knew that I would never be able to save enough money for my first month’s rent and security deposit.” Even with careful budgeting and planning, it took financial assistance with move in costs to help Jenaisica obtain her apartment.
Jenaisica is confident that she will be able to pay her rent and plan for her future. During a recent visit at her home, Jenaisica shared that the support you’ve provided “has been beneficial in helping me to start my life together with my baby girl.”
Gwendolyn has strived to create positive generational change for her family. She finds grace in the sight of her grandchildren making friends with the neighbors, thrilled at the idea of them playing in her backyard together. Toricha appreciates that this is the first time they have had the space of a home in a quiet neighborhood.
Three women from three generations are helping each other through life’s obstacles and seeing hope for the future. They are incredibly proud that their children and grandchildren can witness them achieving the necessary goals to maintain their permanent residences and, more importantly, create a home that will be filled with unforgettable memories. The best advice they could give would be to “Stay focused and just do what you need to do.”