Tonya and her kids came to IHNGC after Tonya was laid off without notice from a job that she held for 7 years. The family had been living paycheck-to-paycheck and had no savings to fall back on, so they lost their housing quickly. Tonya’s schedule ballooned despite not having to work. Her days were filled with job interviews, accessing food pantries and clothing closets, all in different parts of town with different hours, and with moving her kids between the couches of friends and relatives that would let them stay. When the couches ran out she arrived at our doors. Shelter was hard on Tonya and her kids and made them feel like they were on the outside of normal life, looking in. But the family persevered and left shelter for a housing program that would help with rent for a few months as they got back on their feet.

Tonya stopped by the Day Center recently to update us on how they’ve been doing and to say thank you to IHNGC. Tonya used her time in the housing program to land a great new job and begin saving up. She now pays her own rent and even has a small nest egg for emergencies. Her son, a talented football player, returned to after-school practices and weekend games. The whole family went to cheer him on at a play-off in Florida recently. A trip, she said, she could not have dared to imagine possible before.