Susie has three young kids. They live out of their car and sleep on couches when they can. Susie has a full-time job. A good job. Yet doesn’t have a home for her and her children.

How can this be?

Rewind to a few months back: Susie is a domestic violence survivor. She left her abusive partner and tried to settle into her own apartment. Shortly after, severe damage to the apartment left her relationship with her landlord in disrepair. Susie and her kids were evicted.

And now they live on the streets.

Susie connected to United Way partner organization Lifewire because initially they thought her family was a good match for their rapid rehousing program—short-term rental assistance (3-6 months)—so they can get back on their feet.

Next Step for Domestic Violence Survivors: Connections

Lifewire spent time building a relationship with Susie and had honest conversations with her about what would she really needed. Would rapid rehousing, or short-term rental assistance, help her enough? The answer for Susie was no. Her full-time job would not be enough to cover rent and other living costs once the assistance ran out. She knew she’d land back on the streets sooner or later. She needed more.

That’s where United Way’s Streets to Home program helps out. More than $200k has recently been invested to support domestic violence survivors through this program. Lifewire is one partner who is using these funds the best way possible.

[mk_blockquote style=”quote-style” font_family=”none” text_size=”14″ align=”left”]“Streets to Home gives domestic violence survivors the choice to determine what’s best for them. It leads to real, permanent solutions instead of temporary fixes that don’t end up fixing anything at all.” —Lea Aromin, Housing Stability Services Manager at Lifewire[/mk_blockquote]

Lifewire got to work, advocating on Susie’s behalf. They learned that she had a section 8 voucher, but lost it due to the traumatic altercation and subsequent eviction. If they could get that back, that would solve the problem. Amazingly, they were able to do just that! Lifewire worked with the landlord and negotiated the debt for the damages that Susie owed down to half of what she owed and showed that a payment plan was in place. They got her housing voucher reinstated.

Funds provided by United Way’s Streets to Home program paid half of the remaining debt while another partner agency paid the other half. Susie isn’t quite back to a home, but she has her voucher and is now looking for a permanent place that works for her and her kids.

Do you want to help survivors like Susie? Support our Streets to Home work by giving today.