Meet Genevieve.
She has been a resident at the Monroe Family Village for eleven years since the housing community opened in 2013. She learned about Housing Hope through one of our Family Support Coaches, Lee, while attending a Foundations Life Skills class we were offering. Genevieve took the class to learn employment skills and Lee introduced herself and encouraged her to apply for housing with us. “Lee told me she wanted me to come and live at Monroe Family Village and blossom. Her invitation changed our lives.”
Before Genevieve came to us, she was moving frequently trying to find affordable and stable housing for her and her son. The last place she lived before coming to us was in the basement of a house. The owners lived upstairs and were in full addiction to alcohol. Genevieve knew she had to get out of that situation to protect her twelve-year sobriety.
“When I came to Housing Hope, I realized that this was the first time I had experienced housing security in my life. It was enormous for me and my son. We moved around a lot before Housing Hope. We moved about once a year which meant he had to change schools every year. I had to go where I could afford to live. I did not have a choice.
When we got here, we no longer had to change schools and his focus became better. He is making lifelong friends and is getting to know his teachers. We are in a fantastic location near schools and on the bus line. He told me the other day that when he grows up, he wants to live with me!
I struggle with mental illness and stable housing has meant being able to have the same therapist for eight years. He was able to help me build a life. I was about to apply for disability support after losing several jobs, but my therapist encouraged me to try school and think bigger. The retail and restaurant jobs I had had before were not living wage jobs.
But here I am now, with a bachelor’s degree (2021) from Western Washington University. Erin from Housing Hope spurred me to go further. When I applied to do my master’s at Northwest University Erin helped me find a way to pay for my textbooks and she worked with lenders to negotiate my past-due loans. Knowing that I had the support of staff and the scaffolding to go higher, I have been able to say “yes” to these opportunities.
I will graduate in April with my master’s, and I am so excited. I just bought my graduation regalia.
I work with Snohomish County Legal Services which is a nonprofit that serves people with limited resources. I do street outreach with people experiencing homelessness. I want the community to know that homelessness can happen to any of us. Most people I know are only one crisis away from losing their housing.
When I hear people say that the homeless are like animals, I have to say we are treating them like animals. Housing needs to be a human right for us to change the situation. I am thankful to all the Housing Hope staff for the opportunities I have experienced. I am being recognized for being a success story, but I am not perfect. I am still working to improve every day. Thank you to all the donors here tonight for your support. It has helped me change my life.”
- Genevieve, Housing Hope Resident
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