YOU have made an incredible difference in the lives of families experiencing homelessness, and I have to say, THANK YOU!

I’m reaching out today to share about your impact and dispel two commonly held beliefs about homelessness.

As an example of what some families are up against, I’d like to tell you about Marcy and her son Billy…

Not long ago, Marcy had a full-time job and Billy was back in school, a relief after moving to Seattle to escape terrible abuse in her marriage.

Marcy and Billy had been staying in a shelter but then felt like they had won the lottery with “rapid rehousing,” a government-funded program that helped them get into an apartment with the first three months of rent paid upfront. For some families, it’s the solution they need. For others, like Marcy and Billy, it’s a different story.

Marcy’s life unraveled when her finances just didn’t pencil out. Though she had the first few months of rent paid, her ongoing rent proved to be too much – and one big bill for a car repair wiped out her small savings.

Marcy’s anxiety and depression grew, eventually becoming a mental health crisis. She missed work. Then she lost her job. And finally, Marcy and Billy lost their apartment. They were homeless again.

I’m sharing Marcy’s story with you to illustrate the truth about family homelessness. I’d like to dispel a couple of widely held beliefs – two myths – about why family homelessness happens, and how it can be solved.

Myth 1: More housing alone will solve homelessness

The Truth

There is truth to an adage you may have heard, “homelessness is a housing problem.” We need more housing. Right now, only 37 affordable rental homes are available for every 100 extremely low-income renters.

But families experiencing homelessness today can’t wait for more affordable housing to be built. They need help now. They need a partner to come alongside them so that they can afford an apartment and stabilize their life. No one wants to be one unforeseen expense away from the streets.

It’s no surprise that the Seattle metro area is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. A family would need to make $38/hour, which is almost $80,000 a year, to comfortably afford a market-rate two-bedroom apartment.

How YOU are helping

Your gift is equipping families so that they can afford a place to live and conquer other obstacles to housing.

Vision House works with more than 100 property managers, and we connect families with eligible rental assistance programs. The result is that we find good-value apartments and help families fill in the financial gaps. We also teach families how to budget and help them create a cushion for unexpected expenses.

This is all part of the comprehensive program YOU make possible to prepare families financially while healing trauma in both parents and kids.

Myth 2: People experiencing homelessness just need to get a job

The Truth

Employment can help someone stay housed, but just having a job does not guarantee housing. Between 40%-60% of people experiencing homelessness have a job but find that their wages simply do not cover rising rents. The mom living in her car with her kids in Lynnwood might be the cashier at your favorite store.

Of those people experiencing homelessness who are not working, consider that about 25%-30% of them face severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia. Also, consider that around 90% of our family clients are like Marcy and Billy – they’ve experienced abuse in some form.

Unaddressed trauma can cripple an individual’s ability to function – and keep a job.

Without help, a child experiencing homelessness is far more likely to grow up and be an adult without a home.

How YOU are helping

Your support makes it possible for families to find better work, develop job skills, and access mental healthcare!

And your gift is giving families a “trauma-informed care” program, with licensed therapists on staff. Thank you for making sure that mom or dad can come out of their fog of stress and uncertainty, become employed, and break the cycle of homelessness.

This summer, as I spend time with the families and children we serve as they enjoy a break and the sunshine, I am reminded of the joy and dreams of my own children. You are showing families that they matter – that their lives have equal worth.

Prayer

Please join me in praying for each family in our care. As Jesus began his ministry, he quoted Isaiah, saying, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18).

Thank you for your faithful support and for providing Marcy and Billy’s family – and so many more – with the opportunity to escape the fear and danger of homelessness.

With Gratitude,

Derek Sciba
Executive Director

P.S. I am hosting a 30-minute webinar over Zoom to discuss these myths and the impact of addiction on homelessness on July 25 at 11:30am PST. To sign up, register here or email info@visionhouse.org. I hope you can join me!