Meet Monica
Homelessness is a traumatic experience, especially for children. Children who experience homelessness at a young age are more likely to suffer from emotional problems and developmental delays that may impact their futures. As parents, we strive to ensure our children have a bright future and have every door open to them. When Monica came to Goodwill from a Hennepin County shelter, a better future for her children and a stable home for her and her husband was exactly what she was looking for.
Monica, her husband Tyrus and her children moved to Minnesota from Mississippi in the summer of 2018. Relocation can be a challenge, but barriers to entry can make it all but impossible on your own. “We didn’t have any support when we came back in Minnesota,” said Monica. “It was hard to find places with my credit and Tyrus’ background. We went into a shelter to get help and get on our feet.” It was at the shelter where Monica was introduced to Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota. “If it wasn’t for Hennepin County, I wouldn’t have known about Goodwill. The shelter team told us about the Stable Families Initiative and got us connected to Goodwill.”
The Stable Families Initiative works with families who have accessed Hennepin County Family Shelters. Stable Families assists in transportation and career coaching and connects its participants to training programs and job opportunities. The goal is for families to locate, obtain, afford and keep stable housing, to prevent repeat use of family shelters. The Stable Families Initiative provided transportation and other resources to help Monica and Tyrus pursue a better future.
It was during her time at GESMN that Monica received her commercial driver’s license (CDL). “I am thankful you encouraged me to get my CDL when I failed my first attempt. Ya’ll are all so nice to me. I kept thinking I was bothering ya’ll, but ya’ll were always so willing to help me.”
Through the program, Monica was able to secure a full-time position with Metro Transit and find a home for her family. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. We appreciate the help throughout the journey of our homelessness. Even after we left the shelter and got into our place, you continued to help us and make sure we had everything we needed for our family’s success. For the last 2-3 years we’ve been moving around and I’m so tired of it. Now we are focusing on building on our careers and family.”