Katelin (28) is a single mom with three children and a younger brother she cares for. She struggled with homelessness for many years before she found The Kitchen. Katelin recalls times when all five of them stayed in a single cramped hotel room. When things were really bad, her children went to live with their father.
“I lost my kids…and I lost myself for a long time. I just now started recovering,” says Katelin.
Finding Shelter
Not being able to live with her children was hard, and she worked harder to get back on her feet. Katelin was referred to The Kitchen’s emergency shelter, where she and her children were able to stay together while Katelin looked for jobs and an affordable rental. Being at the emergency shelter gave Katelin the hope she needed to keep going.
Take a look inside the emergency shelter
During her stay in shelter, Katelin found a job and started working full-time at a hotel. She loves her job, but often has to take on extra work with staffing shortages.
Returning to Permanent Housing
Through The Kitchen, Katelin was able to find an affordable rental home in Springfield with enough space for her family. The Kitchen helped Katelin with startup costs and provided beds, household items, and cleaning supplies for the family’s new home.
Now that Katelin and her family live together in stable housing, she knows her struggles were worth pushing through and that others are capable of doing the same. Stable housing has greatly improved Katelin’s life, and she works hard to make her new house a loving home for her children.
When asked about the future, Katelin says her next step is to get a degree in hospitality management and find a job that allows her to spend more time with her kids.
Katelin’s story is one of hundreds in our community. Her success would not be possible without support from people like you. Your donation helps families like Katelin’s leave homelessness in their past. Please give today to ensure families have a brighter future tomorrow.
