As we near the conclusion of our Spring 24 Saddle Up Solutions Campaign, we wanted to compile all the client stories we've shared in our newsletters, over email, and on social media. These are only possible because of your generous donations. There's still time to give at https://givebutter.com/SaddleUp.
Mojo
Upon returning home from the hospital in 2016, Mojo found himself disabled and estranged from his partner. He stayed in their shared home but was exiled to the living room before being served divorce papers in 2022. Shortly after he was kicked out and no one else to turn to.
He arrived in Cedar Rapids but still had no place to stay. He took a chance and asked the staff at the bus station if they knew of any help for veterans who were homeless. He was handed Shannon’s business card and that's when things started to look up.
He gave Shannon a call and after he explained his situation, her immediate response was, “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” After experiencing homelessness for nearly a year, Mojo signed his lease in May of 2023 and moved into Willis Dady’s Westminster House, a set of units for veterans exiting persistent homelessness. Mojo is looking forward to some big goals including catching up on his bills and saving to move somewhere with a warmer climate.
Chris*
Chris had been experiencing homelessness in the Quad Cities for quite a while before deciding to find other veteran services in Iowa. Chris is from Washington State and was unfamiliar with our local resources. He came across the GPD program available at Willis Day and sent Shannon, our Veteran Programs Manager, a text message at the end of January asking how to get into the program. A few short days later he was able to secure transportation and arrive at our shelter. While at the shelter Chris worked on gaining different forms of identification, employment seeking, replacing much-needed eyeglasses, housing searches, and much more with the assistance of the V.A. and Shannon. Chris stuck to his no-nonsense plan of gaining housing quickly and was able to sign a lease the first week of April. Chris plans to remain connected to resources and stay living in the Cedar Rapids area for many years to come.
Jane*
Jane started coming to the day center at the recommendation of her friends and was connected to our Street Outreach team, where she was connected to resources with their guidance. Jane was also assessed through Coordinated Entry through our Street Outreach team and was moved into our Emergency Shelter for a safe place to stay while she got back on her feet.
After moving into shelter, Jane began working with our Employment program. As she wasn't quite stable yet, working wasn't something Jane thought she was ready for. Our Employment and Emergency Shelter teams worked together and empowered Jane to try a position with our Supportive Staffing partner, Frontier Co-op. She loves the job, is getting great feedback, and has been communicating well with her manager and teammates. Several people have told her that they love having her on their team!
Laura*
Laura* was referred to Willis Dady for rental assistance. She didn’t know how to make ends meet and had fallen behind on rent. Before entering our program, Laura had two part-time jobs while single-parenting two young children.
Once enrolled in our Homeless Prevention program, Laura’s family received one month of rental assistance and started regular case management sessions. This month of rental assistance allowed Laura and her family to remain housed while she waited for her tax refund. These funds allowed her to make up her back rent and set up payment plans for her missed utility payments!
Our Homeless Prevention case manager has worked with Laura regularly to discuss her employment and housing stability. Now that this family is not at risk of eviction, Laura can start thinking about the future. With coaching and support, Laura transitioned to full-time at one of her positions. The more consistent hours allow for a reliable income to budget with and easier childcare options. She recently received a raise at her job and shared that she has more enjoyment in her work now! This program’s case management has given Laura individualized support as she makes the best decisions for her family.
Miss Jones
Miss Jones experienced homelessness for 6 years before connecting with Willis Dady staff. She felt like she was managing well enough, but with two small children it became more difficult. Her turning point came about a year ago, when she found herself and her children sleeping in a park. She knew she needed to make a real change, and Willis Dady received her referral from the Coordinated Entry system.
She reflected “I finally felt supported. I didn’t know there was help like this. Willis Dady didn’t give up on me. You put in the effort and helped me overcome challenges. You were willing to put in the work.”
With the support of her Case Manager, she now believes in herself; she knows she can achieve her goals. Now she has a safe place to raise her children! She recently started receiving social security and the next steps are accessing childcare for her children so that she can start working full-time. Her big dream is to buy a home of her own! She shared, “what it also taught me was to never give up.”
Shiro
After two years of living out of her car, at the Community Overflow Shelter, or at Willis Dady’s Emergency Shelter, Shiro is finally back home. In December of 2022, she was forced to leave her home because of a marital dispute with her now ex-wife. With no local family or support system, there was nowhere to go. With her ex still living in the house but not contributing to bills, Shiro explained, "I paid my mortgage the entire time." She had no money remaining to pay for her own living expenses. Until there was an opening at our Emergency Shelter, Shiro stayed in her car or utilized the Community Overflow Shelter to rest between her 12-hour shifts. Soon after, Shiro was moved into our Emergency Shelter and maintained full-time employment. This is when Shiro began meeting with her Case Manager, Katie. Shiro said, "If I didn't have the shelter, I wouldn't have made it back."
During Shiro’s time working with our agency, she served a 5-month sentence. Katie supported her by mediating with her parole officer and other authority figures during this process. Shiro had lost most of her belongings, including her car, but Katie stored some of her personal belongings and clothes which had been at our Emergency Shelter. There was great comfort in being able to reclaim these small things.
Katie was able to support Shiro in getting access to a bus to help with commuting to work and was always willing to help her search and look at apartments. Shiro continued making progress on her goals including the divorce proceedings. Her divorce was final in February of 2024, and Shiro was able to move back into her house in May! She is working on cleaning and renovating her house, including painting to make it feel like home again. Her goals are to continue working and living a productive life. Shiro’s experience with homelessness showed her that she can overcome adversity. She is looking toward the future with hope and determination.
Kenneth
At 63 Kenneth lost his housing stability. For a time his daughter had been helping to pay his rent, but when she stopped Kenneth didn’t know what else to do. His friends didn’t know how to help, and he didn’t know how to ask anyone else for help. Unsure of where to turn, he connected with Willis Dady’s Street Outreach team. He wasn’t willing to accept much help at first, but after years of living outdoors, he received support in accessing benefits including SSN, food stamps, and state medical insurance. With the opening of the Chandler Pump apartments, Kenneth moved into a place of his own for the first time in six years.
Kenneth loves his apartment at Chandler Pump and plans to continue living there for the foreseeable future. The Social Security Retirement he receives is enough for him to live on modestly. Thanks to Willis Dady and his case manager, Kenneth has been able to access these resources and now has a stable, safe place to live at age 69. Kenneth will continue to build on his strengths with this renewed foundation which was built from both Street Outreach and Permanent Supportive Housing programs at Willis Dady Homeless Services.
*Names changed for anonymity
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