Stories of Hope, Courage and Success
Thanks to the support of our funders, Hospitality House is able to achieve our mission.
Each of the women we serve has a unique story.
Hospitality House resident gets a new lease on life! Brenda's Story
Even though she had lived in a transitional housing facility for over a year, Brenda was unsuccessful in securing permanent housing. As a result, she ended up using her disability income to stay in a motel for two months prior to entering our shelter.
Brenda suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis which limits the mobility in her arms, hips and back. Even the basic self care tasks most of us take for granted could be quite difficult for her, making it hard to clean house, cook, walk to the bus stop or climb the steps to board the bus. Just bending to trim her toenails was often too painful.
After assessing her needs, we helped Brenda apply for Seattle Metro Transit's Access bus service which provides door to door transportation with special accommodations for seniors and people with disabilities.
We also modified her chore duties allowing her to do her part to help keep our home clean and contribute to the daily structure of our program. When the opportunity arose for her to secure a studio apartment, Brenda became fearful and concerned that she wouldn't be able to manage. We discussed her options and together made a decision to ask DSHS to evaluate her for their Aging and Disability Services Program. Reassured that we would follow up until she secured the level of care she needed, Brenda accepted the much needed housing. On moving day, our Director, Natalie Reber, handed her a big surprise - one of the Starter Kits lovingly put together by volunteers from each of our supporting churches. These kits are filled with dishes, various kinds of everyday necessities and even a few fun items to help the women get started in their new homes. Brenda's head was held high, her face beaming with delight as she stepped out the door of our shelter that day. A few weeks later, she called ecstatic to share the good news that DSHS had approved home care services to help her with grooming, errands, house cleaning as well as monitor her changing needs. What a joy it was for us to see the transformation that took place. Clearly, Brenda now had a new lease on life!
In Brenda's words:
You promised you would try and you sure didn't let me down. No one ever bothered to explain all of this to me before, so I didn't know I could get this kind of help. Now, because you took the time to do this, they're going to send someone out to help me on a regular basis so I can live in my own apartment and keep it nice and clean just the way I like it! Isn't that something? I'll never forget what you did for me. God Bless Hospitality House for being there for me when I needed it!
Mother and Child Reunited
Yolanda is a former resident who first volunteered and now works for Hospitality House. Shortly after CPS took custody of her children, Yolanda entered our shelter depressed and despairing of ever being able to turn her life around. It was apparent that she needed inpatient treatment for her long term addiction to heroin and narcotic pain relievers as her health and emotional state were quickly deteriorating. Given the choice to either exit our program or enter treatment, she chose treatment. From that point forward, Yolanda's attitude toward her sobriety changed dramatically for the positive. She demonstrated a genuine desire to do whatever it took so she could be reunited with her two sons. Two years later, Yolanda called to tell us how thankful she is every day for the help she received from Hospitality House. Because of our support and encouragement, she has maintained her sobriety and recently regained full custody of both her boys! With heartfelt gratitude and a genuine desire to help others, she states: If it weren't for the second chance HH gave to me, I would not be alive today."
