Fourteen years ago, when Dedrick Jensen-Woodard married his wife, neither of them knew the changes life had in store. The plan was for Dedrick to be a stay-at-home father, taking care of his two step-children ages 3 and 7 years old. His wife was just offered a lucrative position putting her nursing skills to good [...]
The ORCA LIFT program helped out considerably. I did not have to worry whether or not l was going to make it to work on time or have to miss a day of work. The reduced fare helped me save money. Being on the program benefited me greatly. --Adrian, ORCA LIFT Card Recipient ORCA LIFT [...]
“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 [...]
At 48 years old, Tracie is younger than most people imagine when they think of someone in a long-term care facility. However, people under age 64 represent about 37 percent of those needing long-term care.* Two years ago, Tracie suddenly had a stroke after finding her father who had just passed away. She was immediately [...]
“I never dreamed I could be homeless. I could pay my rent and still have a couple grand sitting in the bank. I did that because I wanted to live comfortably, and I wanted my kids to live comfortably. Then all of that was gone, we didn’t have a place to live.” Veronica and her [...]
“Sometimes it’s a choice between does my kid get shoes or do I pay the electric bill.” Sandy has been unable to work due to medical issues and is currently living in subsidized housing with her 11-year-old son. Her income is limited to government assistance of about $1,000 per month and an additional $130 for [...]
"My monthly income barely pays for my rent. Without MSC's energy assistance program I don't know if I'd make it in the winter." Khadija is in her early sixties and worked up until 2006 when she developed medical issues that made it difficult for her to use her hands. She is now receiving Social Security [...]
When his uncle passed away suddenly, Vernell found himself without a place to live and without a job. Vernell had both lived with his uncle and worked for his uncle’s company. He moved in with a friend and started going to a local food bank. There, he met one of MSC’s employment counselors who he [...]
"Everything was going fine until the checks stopped coming, and then a friend told me about MSC's Energy Assistance Program," shares Helen. Helen, a 72-year-old retiree living on Vashon Island with her dogs and birds, called MSC for the first time last year. Living off her social security and supplementing her income with a small [...]
Kaleigh’s first visit to the food bank at MSC was when she was 16 years old. At that time, she was living with her aunt who became injured and unable to work. “It’s hard to come to the food bank, but you have to do what you have to do to survive,” says Kaleigh. Kaleigh [...]
