When most people think of the homeless, they're thinking
of "them". The homeless are different, other. Homeless people are a hand
outstretched on the sidewalk, a story on the news, a city council issue. And
most people would be surprised at who many of these "others" really are.
Families, couples, people with jobs and without. Folks in recovery from all
kinds of problems, mental and physical. People who've been abused. Anyone can
become homeless; most of us are just a paycheck away.
I'm a single mom, to a boisterous 6 year old 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 were 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 no where 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, at the last shelter, 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 getting ready to move into transitional
housing.
We've been here, in our transitional apartment, for several months now. The
building is owned and run by Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency, or
BOSS. Their commitment to helping families and individuals who are homeless is
incredible. Through case management I have been 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.
There are still many hurdles we need to overcome, and the road to permanent
housing is long and arduous. But knowing that I'm not alone on that road,
knowing that dedicated staff is with me every step of the way, helps me see our
destination and be able to believe that we'll get there.
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