Rachel, a ShelterCare program participant, shared her story with us of her ongoing battle with homelessness and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). We are pleased to share her journey to stability with you. Rachel’s homelessness began with a life-altering trauma, “Since I am a victim of sexual assault and domestic violence, I am disabled due to a traumatic brain injury,” she shared.
Domestic violence and disabilities are common experiences among many individuals who experience homelessness. According to the Lane County Homeless by Name list, there were a total of 10,865 people who experienced homelessness in 2024; 52% (5,650 individuals) were living with a disabling condition, and 26% (2,825 individuals) were survivors of domestic violence.
There are many causes of homelessness and barriers that keep people unhoused, but the leading cause is the lack of housing availability; Rachel struggled with this barrier for years, “there was no housing available, I waited on the housing list for a really long time; at least four or five years,” she explained.
The combination of housing scarcity and Rachel’s untreated TBI kept her from reaching a stable enough place in life to maintain housing or a job, “I used to work at Nike in Accounts Payable for 5 years,” Rachel said. Rachel’s Housing Specialist, Moníca, explained how big of an impact counseling and medication have had on Rachel’s life, “One thing that’s been big is getting her medications regulated. Staying on top of that has assisted her in keeping her housing stability. It also assists with a lot of other things – she’s just vibrant and loving life right now, and things are going well; her relationship with her family is better, and she’s seen her children more these last few months.”
Getting to this point has taken time, “The Senior & Disability Services office referred me to ShelterCare years ago because of my traumatic brain injury,” Rachel explained, “then my apartment finally came up, and I was able to obtain housing through ShelterCare!”
Rachel is a participant in ShelterCare’s Supported Rental Assistance (SRA) program, which provides rental assistance for individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illnesses (SPMI) and who are chronically homeless, literally homeless, or imminently at risk of homelessness. The program also provides housing services to support the participant in finding and maintaining housing.
That support is a big part of what helps ShelterCare participants succeed. Moníca described what it was like being an advocate for Rachel, “This last time I moved Rachel into the unit she’s in now, she was sleeping in a park. We literally went from signing a lease, to the park, to get her things and move her into her new unit. She was really struggling at that point in her life, and it was really hard to find her housing. I advocated and advocated for her. When we were finally able to find something she could move into, it was so exciting.”
Rachel has now been in this housing for eight months, and is more stable than ever, “because of ShelterCare’s help, I went from being homeless to having identification, a place to live, a bus pass, food stamps, a certificate of citizenship because I didn’t have a birth certificate, and all of that has helped me become the person I am today,” she said. She takes great pride in her new home, “I keep my apartment spotless!” she said.
That person she is today is someone who has decided to use her experience to become a supporter and advocate for others, “I have done volunteer work serving meals to the unhoused, worked on getting donations to support veterans, and have attended the ShelterCare Participant Advisory Council,” she said.
Rachel also told us about her goals moving forward, “I would like to become an advocate for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors, stop smoking, support my son while he goes through college, and make my mom proud. I am going to take care of her in her old age.” She has also had more opportunity to invest time into her hobbies, “I love art, classical music, camping, building campfires, and creating flower arrangements!” she said.
ShelterCare follows the Housing First model, which states that having one’s basic need of housing met makes it possible for them to focus on other goals, like Rachel’s. Her biggest focus is on being there for her son, “because of ShelterCare’s help, I have become a productive member of society and am supporting my son going to college! He wants to study IT in Portland. He graduated (high school) with honors and already took some college courses in his senior year!”
“I’m really grateful for ShelterCare helping me become a productive member of society for me and my family. My whole world has changed for the better because ShelterCare has been in my life, supporting me,” said Rachel. Your donation will help us continue to provide support to people like Rachel, who face multiple barriers to housing and stability. We have a special opportunity from an anonymous community member who will be matching donations up to $25,000. Will you participate in this generous matched gift, and help us change a life like Rachel’s, by donating today?