How Shelter Helped Patrice
Losing Housing and Seeking Shelter
Patrice is a mother and grandmother who has always taken care of her family, regardless of the many hardships that have come her way. As of last September, she and her two teenaged granddaughters were happily living together, and Patrice had a good job as a caregiver at an assisted living facility. But suddenly their lives were completely uprooted.
It was the time of year when her grandkids were getting back into their school routine, and the morning had been busy. Patrice was at work when she got a bad feeling about something. “I usually got done with work at 4:30 p.m. but something told me to go home, so I left at 2:30 p.m. that day,” Patrice remembered. “When I got back to my apartment, there was a crowd of first responders and neighbors standing around my door – it had burned completely and was still smoking.”
Patrice received a candle as a gift from a coworker earlier that week, and she was horrified to realize that she must have accidentally left it burning. In complete shock, Patrice frantically tried wiping soot off the blackened walls and couch. It took a while before reality set in; she wouldn’t be able to save their home. At that moment, Patrice remembered that her granddaughters were returning from their basketball game soon. She needed to come up with a plan, fast.
Shelter: A Safe Place to Go
Fortunately, Patrice’s grandchildren had a friend at school whose family was able to temporarily take them in. But with nowhere for herself to go, and no family to fall back on, Patrice made her way to Catholic Charities Dorothy Day Place in downtown St. Paul to spend the night. For the next three weeks, she continued to work and relied on the emergency shelter while looking for somewhere she could be safe with her granddaughters.
After 20 days downtown, Patrice secured a spot at Catholic Charities Family Service Center in Maplewood – a shelter for families that provides wraparound services to help obtain permanent housing.
Following the traumatizing and exhausting experience of losing her home, Patrice remembered the relief she felt at the Family Service Center. “When I got welcomed at the door, suddenly everything changed,” she said. “It was like I could finally rest mentally – and I was so grateful to be somewhere comfortable with my grandkids again.”
“This place has been like a safety net for me, and the people here have your back,” explained Patrice. “I’m getting back on my feet – and I’m doing it for my granddaughters.”
Working Hard and Making Progress
Patrice was also glad to discover that the Family Service Center already contacted the school district about transportation so her granddaughters could easily travel to their high school. And while the girls were at school each day, Patrice took advantage of the resources available at the shelter.
Patrice continued to work and save money and spent her free time studying in the computer lab to get a Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) certificate – a key certification for professional caregivers. Now, Patrice has her eyes on an apartment in St. Paul and wants to turn her past traumatic experiences into a skillset that she can use to help other people.
“This place has been like a safety net for me, and the people here have your back,” explained Patrice. “I’m getting back on my feet – and I’m doing it for my granddaughters.”
