|
Courtney's Story
Boley Centers recently started providing supported housing services to qualified families who are experiencing homelessness. One of the first to be enrolled was a young woman named Courtney and her 4-year old daughter.
Courtney struggles with bipolar disorder in the midst of caring for her little girl, recovering from substance abuse and overcoming homelessness. She is just 27 years old and has high hopes for her life, as well as her daughter’s.
Her homelessness began after trying to exit her abusive marriage. She initially spent time in a women’s shelter while trying to find an opening in a family shelter. The family shelter was always full though, so after a while she began staying with different friends until she found an opening at the Salvation Army Shelter. She and her daughter stayed there for four months.
Courtney had been employed at a local law office until last November, but between her illness and her housing instability, she found it extremely difficult to maintain her job and it came to an end. She also owned a vehicle but had to sell it when it became too costly to maintain.
While living at the Salvation Army, Courtney was connected with other services that she was in great need of. She was able to get assistance with her mental illness through the One Stop Center and learn about other programs in the community. An outreach worker from Boley Centers frequently visited the shelter and while there were not openings in the new homeless supported housing program at the time, Courtney was persistent in staying in touch.
For the next two months she would check in several times a week until she was able to obtain a two-bedroom unit which she now proudly calls home. Courtney has regained a moderate amount of stability and is working to wade through all that her young life has thrown her. She is trying to return to college so that she can obtain a surgical technologist degree. She is now engaged and she and her fiancé share the dream of relocating to Arizona in a few years to start a fresh chapter.
In the meantime, Courtney appears happy and in a much better place. On a recent visit to see her, her little girl ran around like a happy child should. She proudly showed her new poster of puppies and kittens hanging on the wall of her very own room! Courtney is grateful for this and a whole lot more.
|
Recovery Stories
