A Housing First Success Story

Susan's Story:
From Homelessness
to a Bright New Future

Homeless, unemployed, and with no hope for the future, Susan had run out of options when she entered a shelter in the fall of 2009 with her two young sons. Luckily, she found help through Father Bills & MainSpring, a United Way Housing First agency. Susan's case manager soon began the process of finding both stable, permanent housing and a path to skilled employment that would support her family and lead to long-term financial stability. Impressed by Susan's caring nature and past academic success as a high school honors graduate, her case manager recommended Susan for a scholarship to a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. Within a few short months, Susan's family moved out of shelter and into a subsidized apartment. Five months later, Susan graduated from the CNA program with a GPA of 92. She is now employed at a nursing home, hopeful for the future and grateful for the new start that she and her boys were fortunate enough to have.