PICTURED IS the makeshift sleeping arrangement inside a local garden shed, where a mom and her five kids have lived since Oct. 17. An advocate of theirs hopes someone in the community will step forward to help house them.
PICTURED IS the makeshift sleeping arrangement inside a local garden shed, where a mom and her five kids have lived since Oct. 17. An advocate of theirs hopes someone in the community will step forward to help house them.
A homeless woman living in a garden shed in The Dalles with her five children was told Tuesday she’d have to leave the shed, but a property manager agreed to give her until this Saturday to find other housing.
Since a Chronicle story ran Tuesday about the woman’s plight, an outpouring of offers of support has come in.
Her advocate, who wanted to remain anonymous, has lined up a meeting tomorrow with local housing authorities in hopes of getting a voucher for housing.
Another woman, Katie Adkison, has known the mother for seven years because their children are best friends. She has been active on local Facebook pages, including Pay it Forward Columbia Gorge, where offers of food, clothing, bedding and cash have come in. She has agreed to have offers of support directed to her on Facebook.
Adkison said another person who asked to remain anonymous has offered some type of housing, but it was uncertain at this point about any specifics.
Adkison said the mom got her phone turned back on, thanks to a friend.
The woman lost her government housing support in 2012 following a drug conviction and only recently got back on a waiting list for housing. She’s been off drugs for 18 months now.
She lost an apartment in March, then lived in a fifth-wheel trailer for six months, then briefly at a friend’s apartment, before moving to the shed Oct. 17.
She still lacks a car and is in need of warm clothes for her children and all household items.
Meanwhile, Hayley Issak, a case manager and counselor at a non-profit social service agency in the gorge, has offered to let the mom and her kids shower at her home and do their laundry there. Issak said it is common for people to want to “rescue” children from such circumstances.
She said she talked to the mom’s advocate, and “The children do not want to be removed from their mother or each other. It is most beneficial for the children to stay together as a family unit and thrive together.”
Issak also noted the “school is aware of the family and is providing all the assistance they can to encourage consistent education, hot meals and transportation.”
Issak said if a housing voucher comes through, the next step would be “to find a place that they can rent. If anyone has a rental or knows of someone that would be willing to help this family please let me know.”
She asked to be contacted via message on Facebook.
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.