Luis and Alejandra left behind an unstable economic and political situation in Venezuela with dreams of a better life for their 8-year-old daughter and the baby they were soon expecting. They did not have the references or credit history required to rent an apartment, so they doubled up with another family from their home country. But Alejandra didn’t feel comfortable living with strangers and her daughter couldn’t play freely without Alejandra worrying she was making too much noise for their hosts.
Luis found work after the family’s first week in the community, and Alejandra started working at the same restaurant when they quickly realized one income would not be enough to pay rent. But landlords still wanted evidence of at least a month of income before they would offer them a lease. Once a social worker in their daughter’s school connected the couple with a MOM case manager, things started to look up. Their case manager has developed a strong working relationship with a management company, which agreed to accept a letter from the couple’s employer as proof of their employment and income. MOM’s Connections housing program covered the family’s security deposit and other move-in costs. And thanks to the generosity of MOM donors who purchased items from our Connections wish list, Luis and Alejandra had the basic items they needed to start making themselves at home when they moved into their new apartment this fall, including sheets, towels and dishes.
The family visits MOM’s Food Pantry and Clothing Center to make sure their daughter has warm clothes to wear this winter and nutritious food to eat. Alejandra feels genuinely welcomed and supported by the volunteers when she does her shopping. The family is grateful for the generosity of their new community where they are beginning to put down roots and begin to thrive. Their new baby boy arrived this fall.
Janet wasn’t behind on rent when she reached out to MOM for financial assistance, but her fixed income was barely keeping up with the rest of her bills after her husband died. The 57-year-old is unable to work due to her disability and ongoing health issues and her monthly SSDI income is $1,352 per month, just barely enough to cover her rent. She has been wanting to find a different apartment to cut costs, but she has been too ill to move for the past several years and has no family to offer assistance. A MOM case manager worked with Janet to provide financial assistance to pay off her past due utility and internet bills and connected her to federal energy assistance to cover the cost of her winter heating bill.
Many of the older adults MOM serves have seen their rent continue to go up while their incomes remain stagnant. For seniors in our community like Janet, MOM’s programs are a key factor in creating stability.
We’re grateful to those of you who acted to support families in our Connections program who are moving from doubled-up living situations with friends or family to homes of their own. Thanks to generous donors who purchased items from our Amazon wish list, we delivered bedding, kitchen tools and other household items to program participants. For more information about Connections, visit momhelps.org/ways-to-give/connections-sponsorship/
When a family faces the threat of eviction, it can mean children have to switch schools or school districts, sometimes within the same year. Thanks to the Reducing School Mobility grant through the United Way of Dane County from the Siemer Institute, MOM is working with families in our community to ensure kids can stay in their same schools. Our case managers can use the funds flexibly to help families pay rent and cover unexpected costs that can mean the difference between a child staying in their classroom or being uprooted.
In the months after she left an abusive relationship, Gina and her two daughters shuttled between the homes of friends and relatives while she worked to save enough money to get a place of their own. Gina and her family had a place to sleep at night, but her girls did not have a place to play or do their homework and they started to struggle at school. They needed a place to call home.
Families like Gina’s often don’t qualify for government housing programs because they don’t meet the federal definition of homelessness. MOM launched our Connections program this year to fill this gap and help families who are living in doubled-up arrangements find housing.
With the support of donors like you, MOM can do more to address this growing need in our community. The number of doubled-up students in Middleton-Cross Plains increased by nearly 85% in the most recent school year and in Madison, 80% of the students who identify as homeless are actually living in doubled-up arrangements.
Our Connections case manager works with clients in the program over the course of a year to define stability goals and work on strategies to maintain their housing security. With help from MOM, Gina was able to find an apartment in a neighborhood where she could watch her girls walk to school. Our case manager connected her to the resources she needs to keep moving forward, including groceries from MOM’s Food Pantry and clothing from our Clothing Center to help her kids start the school year. In their monthly meetings, they focus on Gina’s goals, including starting her own business. “Thanks to MOM and Connections, I was able to find some room to breathe,” Gina says. “I had forgotten how to be happy — now I am smiling again. Seeing my girls able to focus on their school and sports is worth everything to me.”
People who live and work in our community continue to struggle with rising food costs and the lack of affordable housing. With your help, MOM can offer access to healthy food, warm clothing and backpacks filled with school supplies. Our financial assistance programs help cover the cost of rent, utilities and auto repairs that can derail a monthly budget without warning and put families in danger of eviction.
Your gift can help children, parents, employees and neighbors in our community maintain housing and access to food, key determinants of well-being and health.