Kaprisha

The terms of Kaprisha’s probation required a valid address, but it wasn’t safe to go back to where she had been living with a boyfriend. Certainly not with her infant son and 3-year-old daughter. The Department of Social Services referred her to the Volunteers of America for housing, and that’s when her intake questionnaire was flagged for PCHO.

The questionnaire screens candidates for high instances of domestic abuse and other factors that contribute to chronic housing instability. Kaprisha’s score was high.

“There were a lot of traumas leading up to where I am now, starting with the loss of my father when I was six. Everything went downhill after that, and everything was a challenge for my mother. It was an unstable childhood, and I saw a lot of things I shouldn’t have,” Kaprisha said.

Arguments with her mother eventually led to Kaprisha moving in with her boyfriend and she quickly became pregnant. The souring of that relationship, including domestic abuse, coincided with her probation.

Connecting with PCHO for Housing Coordination services was, for Kaprisha and her children, a life-changing moment.

“From my first visit and meeting Joyce (PCHO Housing Coordinator), it was immediate — she meant business!,” Kaprisha said. “She said, ‘I’m here to help you get where you need to be,’” she added.

Kaprisha said she and Joyce worked together. The process included preparing the paperwork to secure her housing funding and simultaneously choosing the right home for her and her children. During the process Kaprisha says she also learned structure and budgeting. They looked at six housing options until they found the right one that was in Kaprisha’s price range and felt like ‘home’ to her.

“We looked at all the bills and ran the budget, and I had to call RG&E to get my utilities set up. Joyce helped me understand how important it was going to be to stay on that budget, so I don’t have to leave this home until I choose to. I’m glad she pushed me because I learned how to be a grown woman. It was really a shift in my mindset that shifted my reality,” Kaprisha said.

Kaprisha has been employed in retail while working to regain her license as a home health aide. PCHO is assisting with that process, too. Her goal is to grow in the nursing field to someday become a traveling nurse and achieve financial stability so she and her children can be rich in life experiences.

In the meantime, Kaprisha is focused on taking care of ‘needs’ over ‘wants,’ and enjoying the satisfaction of knowing she’s paying her bills and keeping her home. Her kids are doing great, and she stays in close contact with Joyce.

“Joyce went into ‘mom-mode’ when we met, and I know I can check in with her whenever I am working out routines for my kids,” Kaprisha said.

She credits her success to having learned so much and being open to learning.

“It doesn’t work to stay stuck on what happened in your life or why you’re going through things now,” she said. Adding, “Just fight through it, listen, and learn from your mistakes. Now I’m looking forward to earning a good living and showing my kids the world.”