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.

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, with head held high and face beaming with delight, stepped out of 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, and 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!