Nina came to Hospitality House in early March. She previously lived with her mother a few hours away from Seattle, but after a conflict, Nina ended up in the hospital and without a home to return to.

The hospital social workers and a case manager helped Nina find a place for her here at Hospitality House. She arrived with only her laptop and the clothes she was wearing. Aside from having a bed to sleep in, she was most excited to have internet access so she could work on a coding program.

Nina acted as a source of peace in the house. She began looking at apartments immediately after her arrival, and spent time daily working to meet her education, mental health, and housing goals. Every morning she would make her bed, have some breakfast, and set up in the living room. A chair by the door to the room became “reserved” as her space. It was an unspoken rule that everyone respected without issue. A former shelf worked perfectly as a desk for her laptop to sit on. She would perch it on the arms of the chair, borrow a mousepad from the office, set up her laptop, and flip between reading comics, watching shows, learning to code, and apartment hunting. Residents would ask her for help with email or their phones, and Nina would happily oblige before quietly returning to her tasks. She became the house tech support, sometimes even helping staff.

Nina quietly worked away stationed in her “office” for two months. Slowly but surely, things began to come together for her. She began receiving food stamps. A studio in Queen Anne popped up in her price range (with the help of Catholic Community Services, or CCS), and then some timely donations. A regular donor happened upon some brand-new dining room chairs, then a desk became available, then a new mattress! After about two and a half months here, Nina was able to move into her new apartment, and had received so much support and donations, CCS needed to bring a van to transport all of her belongings.

During her time at Hospitality House, Nina diligently worked away at meeting her goals. She respected her roommates, encouraged them, and was always pleasant to be around. She is enjoying her new apartment and having her own space and is hoping to find a programming job to put her skills to use. Nina has a bright future ahead of her, and we are glad to have been part of her journey.