Amanda

I'm a single mom to a boisterous 6 year old boy with attention and self-control problems. I was laid off of my last permanent job a few years ago, and had a hard time finding anything that paid what I'd been making. I took temp jobs and got MediCal for us. When I started having operations that left me in pain and unable to work for months, the bills went unpaid. By the time I'd had a third operation there wasn't any money in my unemployment account, and we went on food stamps and cash aid. The cash aid was $200 less than my rent. I'd been suffering from depression for several years by now, and the combination of physical pain, financial difficulty, and my son's behaviors made the depression worse than ever. Soon we were evicted, and we had nowhere to go but to a shelter. I tried to prepare my son as best I could without really knowing what to expect, but living in shelters is hard on any kid, let alone a kid with high or special needs.

We stayed in three shelters over 6 months. It was difficult on both of us; my depression worsened, I was physically worn out, and constantly stressing about our situation. My son's behavior, comfort level and coping skills all suffered. I had to become an outspoken advocate for him and his needs because the shelter rules are difficult to follow when you have a child like mine. I was determined to give him the parenting he needed, even though I was getting flack, bad advice, and even hostility, from other residents and even from shelter staff. Finally, we found ourselves at Harrison House, where there were staff members who treated us - all the residents - as individuals, and as normal folks. With their help, my son and I began to feel better. Soon we were moved into the McKinley House transitional housing. The commitment BOSS makes to helping families and individuals who are homeless is incredible. Through case management I was able to make strides in dealing with my depression and my physical health, and I've gotten so much support in helping my son be where he needs to be.

After a year and a half at McKinley House, we finally have our own apartment. It’s not easy finding housing or keeping the bills paid, but knowing that I’ve never been alone on this journey, knowing that the dedicated staff at BOSS has been with me every step of the way, helped me see our destination and be able to believe that we'd get there.

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