As a result, for a single parent working to secure employment with a living wage, improve education to achieve this goal, and attain childcare, the cost of living can feel insurmountable.

However, with support from Partners in Housing, families can step back, regroup, and move toward new horizons.

For example, Lia, a mother of five, enered the Family Self-Sufficiency Program after escaping an abusive marriage. Driven by determination, she decided to pursue a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) after attending her Work-It and Money Mentoring appointments.

Because two of Lia’s children are on the autism spectrum, becoming a CNA would allow her to be a paid caregiver for them while providing financial stability. Soon after, she completed her certification and secured a CNA position nine months into the program to build savings prior to her goal of caregiving. Along the way, with the support of Partners in Housing’s volunteers and staff, Lia improved her credit score, accessed critical community resources, and regained custody of her children.

By the end of the program, she had full custody, maintained her full-time job, and continued attending money mentoring sessions to stay on top of her finances. Ultimately, we’re incredibly proud of Lia’s dedication and know she will provide long-term stability for her family.

The post Money Mentoring, Work It! programs lead to stability appeared first on Partners in Housing.

This scenario happened to Christina when she faced car troubles. She transferred to self-pay for childcare but simultaneously lost her employment due to attendance issues from lack of transportation. This caused a snowball effect for Christina – without a job, the amounts owed for childcare self-pay were overwhelming, and she could no longer access it to then work toward securing employment.

Christina found support within the Partners in Housing “Work It! Program” where dedicated volunteers assisted her in developing a new plan to access employment and daycare for her child. Going back to the drawing board is a difficult choice to make, but thankfully with the support of Partners in Housing, Christina managed to readjust and make progress toward her career and financial goals.

Through our Child Enrichment Center, access to respite care for families drastically improves their ability to focus on work, school, certifications, housing navigation, or other appointments with Partners in Housing staff to access stable housing and brighter futures post program. By losing access to one piece of the puzzle, whether that is licensed childcare, transportation, or employment, this can develop into a setback that can feel insurmountable. At Partners in Housing, we work to remove barriers, improve circumstances, and work toward their financial and career goals.

If you would like to take part in removing barriers for families on their path to self-sufficiency, here are some ways you can contribute:

• Volunteer at the Child Enrichment Center
• Provide information on employment opportunities
• Donate items such as diapers and wipes
• Contribute to the Flat Tire Fund
• Host an in-kind or cash donation drive
• Sign up for King Soopers Community Rewards or Walmart’s Spark Good programs

*Partner’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.

To read the full 2024 Spring Newsletter, please visit HERE. 

The post Bridging the Gap: Child Care and Transportation appeared first on Partners in Housing.

With fall here, and winter approaching, families have heightened concerns around staying healthy and being able to keep their children in school and daycare. They are affected by high costs and increasing demand for required services. Finding childcare so they can go to work is an enormous barrier. Finding transportation, or paying related costs, is another barrier to their ability to earn the living wage needed to support their family.

When Jessica’s* car broke down, she lost her only form of transportation. With limited support from family or friends, she was unable to start her new job or get her daughter to daycare.

When winter break approached last year, Danielle* wasn’t sure where to look or what to cut in her already tight budget so her kids could eat lunch. Through SNAP benefits, she could provide breakfast and dinner for her children, but the benefits didn’t stretch enough to cover lunch which school typically provided. She was making $15/hour while also working on her GED so she could increase her earning potential, but until that time, she had to figure something else out.

Families in our program have to make difficult decisions while finding the strength and resilience to continue moving forward. The support and stability of our program, paired with their grit have resulted in some remarkable outcomes. Take a look at the Family Outcomes graphic below to see the great success achieved by the families while navigating the many obstacles placed in their path.

For over 30 years, we have been committed to providing the most effective services to support the families that come into our program. We use many methods of tracking the families’ hard work and progress and in addition to reporting purposes, we use the measurements as an ongoing evaluation tool so we can be dynamic and nimble with our service delivery as the needs of families continue to change.

We are so incredibly proud of the many accomplishments achieved by the families in our program this past year and are pleased to share these core outcomes with you!

To read our full Fall 2022 Newsletter, visit here

The post Families Face Challenges appeared first on Partners in Housing.

“This used to be an old hotel and a restaurant. So people drive by and often wonder, what is that? What are they doing? So we were just raising awareness. We’ve got so many new neighbors in this community,” said Keri Ellen White, board member for Partners in Housing.

To read the full article on KRDO, visit here.

The post Partners in Housing Board Member shares a personal story appeared first on Partners in Housing.

Sarah’s Story 

At Partners in Housing, we strive to see every family in our program successfully move out of crisis and to a place of stability. We guide families on their self-sufficiency journey by providing a year of transitional housing, personalized case management, budget and credit counseling, career readiness workshops, life skills classes, and access to our free Donation Centers. We are proud to announce our latest program offering – housing navigation.

When budgets are tight, navigating the housing market can be difficult for anyone. Factor in that 50% of Partners in Housing families have an eviction on their record and things quickly become more complicated.

We hired Sarah Seales as our full-time Housing Navigator in January to assist families on their search for housing beyond our program. Sarah is giving families the greatest chance for success by having one-on-one meetings and walking through a variety of documents such as the documentation required to apply for housing, the key factors landlords are looking at when reviewing applications like income, employment history, rental history, credit score, and criminal background, and determining what properties make the most sense to apply to based on budget, eligibility, needs, and preferences.

In addition to meeting with the families, Sarah is an advocate, building relationships with landlords and property managers and showing that the families we recommend can be trusted to pay their rent on-time and take good care of their property. Landlords and property managers don’t have to look any further than Sarah for proof of program success. Sarah and her two daughters were in the Partners in Housing program in 2012. Sarah worked incredibly hard and successfully moved onto stable housing upon graduating from the program. Nine years later, Sarah is back, this time as a Partners in Housing employee, advocating for families and giving them the best chance at success.

While every family’s story is different, Sarah knows what it’s like to be on the other side of the table. She understands how overwhelming and daunting it can feel when starting out and so she wrote a letter to program families in hopes of showing there’s light at the end of the tunnel if they show up, work hard, and take one step at a time.

“Here you are. You might not have ever imagined you would be in this place. I know I didn’t see it coming in 2011 when I found myself and my daughters with no place to live and too small of an income to make ends meet. I did everything I could to keep myself afloat but I just couldn’t do it…not on my own. There’s a team now to help you figure it all out but I know from experience that it isn’t all easy from here…”

Sarah, like many other families in the program, arrived with very little. A divorce left Sarah, a stay-at-home mom, without a home, without a job, and without the time to find a job that paid well enough to support her and her two kids. She turned to the Partners in Housing program in an effort to give her daughters a place to call home while she figured out her next steps. When we talked with Sarah, she told a story about how her daughters didn’t know they were technically homeless when they in our housing. She said her daughters were so excited about the free Donation Center and the house they were in. It wasn’t until years later when a Partners in Housing representative coincidentally visited one of her daughter’s schools and talked about our agency that her daughter connected the dots.

Sarah worked incredibly hard while in the program, built up her resources, and was able to find an apartment and a job with the right income. Before working at Partners in Housing, Sarah owned and operated a thriving cleaning business for several years and was able to employ others in need of an income. In 2020, Sarah closed her cleaning business in order to work full-time as the Housing Navigator for Partners in Housing.

Thank you, Sarah, for your inspiring work with the families in our program. We and the families in our program are lucky to have you.

The post Newest Program Offering: Housing Navigation appeared first on Partners in Housing.

Our Partner families pay rent based on 30% of their monthly income, which we then use for property upkeep. Because of special funding we received from the Pikes Peak Community Foundation/ Pikes Peak United Way COVID Relief Fund and the State COVID Relief Fund we are able to provide rent waivers to families who have lost income. Partners in Housing also uses these funds, along with donations, to provide food, hygiene products, baby products and gift cards for other items.

Through this time of many changes we have learned that some things will return to pre-COVID normal and some things will be a New normal. In this new way of working and learning, many of the Partner families lack the technology services, training, and equipment necessary to achieve their goals. Partners in Housing is working diligently with plans to assist in overcoming these obstacles so work from home employment opportunities, adult education, and children’s schooling can be accomplished.

Please contact us if you wish to learn how you can help!

The post COVID-19 Update: Still Moving Forward appeared first on Partners in Housing.

Angela* never thought she would be homeless.

With a decent job, she was able to provide a stable home for her three children. When her landlord increased her rent dramatically, she was forced to look for another place to live.

She found a dream home on Craig’s List: perfect size, affordable rent, and still in the neighborhood where her kids went to school. She filled out the application and was approved, so she sent in her deposit and first month’s rent and waited for move-in day. Unfortunately, the listing was a scam and her savings was now gone. Unable to afford a new deposit, she moved from place to place, staying with friends and family until Partners in Housing accepted her. Considerable debt had racked up in that very short time. “I was so scared to look at my credit report after that, but the credit counselor put things in perspective and helped me come up with a plan to pay down my debt and get current with my bills.”

Armed with new knowledge and confidence, she contacted her creditors, made payment arrangements and began working with a Money Mentor to set up a workable budget. Money Mentoring pairs families with certified credit counselors for regular meetings to improve credit while volunteers and staff review budgets on a monthly basis.

At the end of her year, Angela’s credit score increased 120 points and was higher than it had ever been, meaning she did not have to come up with an additional deposit when she moved. “I am so grateful to the Money Mentor volunteers for understanding my situation and walking with me in this process.”

Families are also provided with Life Skills classes on a monthly basis that cover topics such as home ownership, financing a vehicle, self-care, and more.

If you would like to make a difference in the life of a family experiencing homelessness as a Money Mentor or a Life Skills Instructor, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator, Tarin Potter, at Tpotter@partnersinhousing.org 

The post More than Just Housing: Angela’s Story appeared first on Partners in Housing.

In July of 2017, a young woman became part of the Partners in Housing program and moved into a studio apartment after having lived in her car.

Jamie* had struggled with many obstacles which had hindered her stability and was feeling hopeless about her future. Having never lived in a supportive or constructive family environment, overcoming multiple barriers seems insurmountable. She soon met with her caseworker to discuss her goals and set up an individualized service plan.

Jamie’s family has a history of incarceration, and legal trouble, but rather than follow in her family’s footsteps, she decided to take an alternate route. While in the Partners in Housing program, she completed her Associate’s Degree and is now taking classes toward her Bachelors in Criminal Justice with the pursuit of a career in the legal system.

One of the many obstacles in Jamie’s path included family and friends who have expected her to pay their bills, and take care of them. She has had to learn how to tell her family and friends “no”, which is a huge accomplishment for Jamie and a huge step in being able to be self-reliant!

While in our program Jamie has attended therapy, and continued building her self-determination and confidence. She had difficulty finding entry-level work in the criminal justice system, because of her family history, but she has persevered and is now working in her desired field.

In the past, she may have not been able to handle the unexpected, but since in the program she has come to realize that she can do anything she sets her mind to… she and her newborn child will be fine. She credits her new life attitude in part to the Life Skills classes that are part of the Partners in Housing program. She is very excited about her future.

The post Partner Family Success Story appeared first on Partners in Housing.

A Mother’s Journey in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program

Partners in Housing quite possibly saved my life, and definitely my sanity!

I was working at a big box retail store part-time as a greeter, going to school part-time. In January 2012, I found out I was pregnant with my very first child; after being told I would never have children, at the age of 32. In March that year, I could no longer work on my feet, and had to quit my job. I had a little saved up, and my mom helped me a little as well. It quickly depleted.

In early July, I had my daughter early, at only 24 weeks, due to Pre-Eclampsia. She spent 132 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I spent every day and every night by her side. I still could not work; I had lingering health issues and would not leave her side. September that year brought an eviction notice for unpaid rent. My daughter was still in the NICU and I felt so overwhelmed.

Cross Agency Collaboration 

I called 2-1-1, Pikes Peak United Way, and they gave me information about Partners in Housing. I called Partners in Housing, desperate for some glimmer of hope. I could not bring my daughter home from the hospital to nothing. I applied, did the intake interview, and waited. I cried. I prayed. I begged. Finally, I got the call that I was accepted!

October, I moved into Colorado House, and in November, I brought my daughter home. Lily was on oxygen when she came home, and plenty of medications. As a preemie, she could not be in daycare. So, I threw myself into an online school, while being able to be there for her special needs. I attended the Life Skills classes regularly, fully utilizing the program for what I could. After a year and a half, we were ready to be self-sufficient.

Moving Forward

Lily was off her medications, off the oxygen, and doing phenomenal. I found an apartment and a full-time job. I am still in school, and Lily is in daycare while I work. Life is good. At the beginning of July, Lily turned 3 years old. You’d never be able to tell she was a mere 1lb 4oz when she was born. She has no delays and only minor health issues.

I attribute her success, at least partially, to Partners in Housing. I do not know where we would have been if I did not have them there. I was able to nurture and stay with her during the most critical time. Best of all, we had a home. Partners in Housing taught me how to be on my own, and how to manage life as a single mom. I made a ton of connections and friends along the way. I will never forget the kindness shown to us.

Thank you, Partners in Housing staff at the Colorado House! You made a difference in our lives!

The post 25 Years and Beyond: A Mother’s Journey appeared first on Partners in Housing.

July 2015

Partners in Housing has a proven track record demonstrating families who are homeless become independent at a higher rate when they are held accountable to achieving goals they set for themselves. Many of our one-year program participants want to learn new life skills and money management and they oftentimes need the emotional support they get from their caseworker. Some individuals need help with their career and life planning and appreciate learning about resources such as credit counseling, child care, and transportation. That is what transitional housing looks like. There are different models used across the country that assist those who do not have a permanent place to live. We strongly believe the model we use at Partners in Housing allows us to help families whose unique situations can be complex.

The families in our program want to live on their own and express gratitude when they learn about solutions for their homelessness. We operate 60 units of transitional housing and last year 86% of our client partners improved their overall self-sufficiency. We would not be this successful with our program if it wasn’t for our staff, volunteers, and donors. Thank you!

“At first it was hard doing all of the things Partners in Housing wanted me to do in the program…but the way I see it, they were paying me to better myself and my life…” – Partner Client

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In 2026, Partners in Housing now operates 68 transitional housing units with 88% of families moving forward to stable housing post program.

The post How Partners in Housing Helps Families appeared first on Partners in Housing.