Falisha's Story

 

“When I first arrived at the shelter… sorry if I start crying… I was really stressed out and overwhelmed, and I kind of took it out on Mary… but she was understanding…”

 

Falisha did start crying as she shared her remarkable story of perseverance and determination that ultimately brought her and her three children to Columbus House. Her tears were those of relief and triumph—a celebration of how far she’s come and hope for what lies ahead.

 

A single mom of three bright and friendly children, Falisha and her family now live in a Columbus House-owned, three-bedroom apartment—a significant change from the small Subaru they were sleeping in just two years ago. The family receives personalized case management services, ensuring they have the support and resources needed to overcome any challenges that might threaten their housing stability.

“We were basically living in my Subaru…I was doing Instacart deliveries, just trying to make $100 to get a hotel some nights.”

Falisha wanted to achieve financial stability for her family and had always dreamed of working in the medical field like her mother and sisters. To make this dream a reality, Falisha left Connecticut and headed south to live with a relative and attend school to become a surgical technician. The living situation didn’t work out as planned, and she was asked to leave. With no other option, Falisha packed up her children and left.

 

Determined to provide a better future for her family, Falisha juggled full-time school, childcare, and work—all while living out of her car. She managed to get the kids to school each day before attending her own classes, studying, or delivering groceries to earn enough money for a hotel room. On weekends, they spent time at parks, cooking on a portable grill. 

Though outwardly holding it together, Falisha was struggling. Falisha’s mother learned of the situation and encouraged her to send the children back to Connecticut so Falisha could finish school. Falisha sent her kids to her mother, stopped working and graduated, but the stress caught up with her. Exhausted, and unable to afford the $150 study guide, Falisha failed the final certification exam.

 

“Mary has been a rock.”

Jobless and without a home, Falisha returned to Connecticut to be with her children. Falisha called 2-1-1—the statewide hotline for housing crises—and to her great relief, they were placed in a hotel. Just a week later Mary, a Columbus House case manager, reached out with news of an available unit at our Wallingford Emergency Shelter. Six months later, Mary helped Falisha and her children move into their Columbus House apartment where they still receive Mary’s support.

“I got a chance to work in the field for five months, and I love it—it’s like my dream job. I love working in the hospital.”

Thanks to her strength and the compassionate support of friends like you, Falisha now has the stability of a safe home. Her children are thriving, and she is on track to achieve her dream of becoming a surgical technician. Your contributions not only help provide vital services like shelter and case management, they also fund small but essential items—like the $150 textbook Falisha needs to study for when she retakes her certification exam next year.

 

Last year, Columbus House provided critical services to over 2,100 neighbors facing homelessness, including 82 families like Falisha’s. With a 13% overall increase in homelessness in our state—and a 16% rise in family homelessness—since last year, your generosity is crucial. Your contribution will allow us to ensure as many of our neighbors as possible—single adults, families, older people, and Veterans—have the opportunity they deserve, like Falisha, to build a better future.

 

Please consider making a gift today. Together, we can look forward to the day when everyone has a safe, stable place to call home. Thank you!

 

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