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MILES' STORY:
Miles, a single dad with two kids, was working full-time, but couldn't make ends meet. He was moving from hotel to hotel because he couldn't afford the rising rates of rent, but the hotel costs prevented him from saving enough to get an apartment, creating a vicious cycle. Just when he thought he couldn't afford the hotel costs anymore, Miles heard of Family Promise of Southeast Florida and decided to reach out.
Initially, we diverted Miles and his children from homelessness by paying the remainder of their hotel costs for the month, and then entered them into our Road to Independence. During their time in the program, we covered all hotel costs and provided Miles’ family with much-needed necessities. They followed all the rules and entered case management and mental health counseling. We were able to get them a Section 8 voucher and find an apartment that best suited the family’s needs, and our partners at Sweet Dream Makers provided the children with brand new beds and bedding. Miles and his family were in our Road to Independence program for only two weeks, proving that all they needed was a hand-up, not a hand-out.
Even after graduation, Miles and his family chose to continue with mental health counseling. Miles’ son struggled from the trauma of homelessness, and counseling at our Day Center gave him a safe space to address his outbursts of anger. Now, the family is happy and doing better because they have a safe place to rest their heads at night, and a safe place to come to should they ever need to unload their worries and struggles. They still show up to our events, finding community with us and with others who understand their struggle. We’re proud to have been able to support them in their time of need and are proud to have them as part of the Family Promise family!
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