“MSC’s housing helped me find stability and become responsible again,” shares Emily, a resident at one of MSC’s income-based apartment complexes.
In 2009, Emily lost her Section 8 Housing Voucher. She and her 11-year-old son had nowhere to go, so Emily sent her son to live with her aunt in Vancouver so he could have some stability while she moved around from friend to friend. Every weekend, Emily would make the trek to Vancouver to see her son. Eventually, she found a part-time job through a temporary service, but it was not enough to pay rent. Wanting to be with her son, she called 211 for help.
Emily started working with Family Housing Connection, which is the central resource that connects people to housing resources in King County. It took several months, but a space finally opened up at MSC’s family shelter in Kent. The shelter provided enough stability that Emily could bring her son back up here to live with her full-time again, however she knew she would need to find more permanent housing soon and that she would need a stable job to find it. Emily had a couple of temp jobs here and there, and utilized MSC’s energy assistance program between jobs. She knew she needed a job with more stability and future.
Finally, she secured a position with a warehouse that would give her enough to support her and her son. Next, she needed to find a place with affordable rent. Luckily, MSC was able to help. Emily was able to move into one of MSC’s income-based apartment complexes where her rent is based on her income. Emily is still working at the warehouse and her son is now 17 and almost done with high school. “MSC helped me to know that I wasn’t alone. There is help and hope out there. I’ve got my stability back. I’m able to be consistent with work and get back on track.”
