In Pursuit of the Goal

Mary’s Franciscan Shelter was fortunate to have a lovely family stay with us due to some unforeseen circumstances. Sam, Renee and Skye (names have been changed) were our first residents in September 2020 after our annual closing and deep cleaning of the shelter. They had encountered some difficult times and needed a chance to get back on their feet. Both Sam and Renee had lost their jobs which was even more difficult to bear due to the pandemic. Through no fault of their own, they had lost their housing as well. However, this did not slow them down in pursuing their goals. As soon as they arrived, they were ready to get to work.

In order to get their finances back in order, Sam immediately began applying for jobs and in no time succeeded in securing a position. Renee had to stay home during Covid-19 due to the fact that their daughter, Skye, had to do her schooling virtually. They got Skye set up to do her school work daily on a laptop. She was a good student that worked hard to complete her assignments. Renee made sure Skye was up and ready to get online each day.

This family was a great candidate for the Rapid Rehousing Program provided by Chester County, a program that allowed them to start out with a substantial amount of county assistance while the family got on their feet. Over time, the county gradually allowed them to gain financial independence. They were excited to be chosen for this program and are now enjoying their own place and making it theirs! We were sad to see this family go, but theirs’ is a great success story! We wish them the best of luck in their new home and future ventures!