A young woman living alone in her car, feeling hopeless and lost. This was Chynna’s reality in 2021.
Chynna was raised by her grandparents and graduated from college in 2020. At the point when her life should have been taking off, her family environment took a downward turn. Her grandfather had passed away and her grandmother was no longer able to manage on her own. Chynna moved in with other family members, but it was a stressful environment and after a traumatic incident, she had no choice but to leave.
Imagine a home life so bad that Chynna packed up her few belongings and decided to live in her car. She was working hard and long 12-hour shifts for a food delivery service and a second job at a retail store, but it was barely enough to pay for gas, food, and other expenses. Not making a livable wage despite her hard work, with no idea how to pull herself out of homelessness, she fell into overwhelming depression and feelings of self-doubt.
“I was on the brink of suicide. I was young and on my own for the first time. I didn’t know how to find housing and had no one to guide me. I was really lost and didn’t see a future for myself or a way out.” –Chynna
Fortunately, a family member told Chynna about WISEPlace. We welcomed her into our shelter and provided vital wraparound services to support her journey to self-reliance, including group and individual counseling to work through her depression and build back her self-esteem. Chynna was always about hard work, she just lacked the resources prior to WISEPlace.
Within her first two weeks at WISEPlace, Chynna accepted a full-time job that offers her regular hours, better pay, and saves wear-and-tear on her car. She and her case manager met weekly to review her budget and financial objectives. Chynna set a savings goal that would give her a safety net in case of an emergency. She worked six days a week and ended up saving even more.
“WISEPlace taught me how to save and manage my finances. They guided me and made sure I had a plan to succeed in my goals.” -Chynna
In January 2022, Chynna found a roommate to share the rent and they moved into their own apartment! WISEPlace helped with her deposit, temporary rent assistance, and furniture to get started. Chynna is now looking into job options that will utilize the skills she gained in college. Empowered and confident, she welcomes the challenges and learning opportunities of a new career.
“WISEPlace gave me a support system. Before, I didn’t feel like I had anyone on my side. I felt like I wasn’t worth anything – that I was the problem. WISEPlace helped me learn that I’m worthy of being loved, to believe in myself, and to never give up.” –Chynna
How can you help?
When you support WISEPlace, you provide safe shelter solutions and empowering wraparound services to unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness. Donate now to provide a caring community for those who call WISEPlace home.
