If you met Monique, you’d see her in shades of red from head to toe in honor of her late son, Gabriel, since red was his favorite color. On this particular day, a red heart is on her shirt.
Even though Monique has had trying times, she still enjoys having fun. In fact, she bounces on a couch as she jokes about her feet not reaching the floor. “I have to have fun, you know?” says Monique, laughing. “I love arts and crafts.” Gratitude fuels her happiness and comes in part from moving into a home and remaining there.
Home for Good makes permanent housing possible for Monique and 97 other Anchorage community members. We’ve run this program alongside Social Finance since 2020. Its funding enables people who have experienced homelessness for a long time and frequently use emergency services to become Home for Good participants. They work with case managers at Southcentral Foundation.
Clients receive support as they:
- Prepare to move into their own home.
- Establish routines once they’re settled in it.
- Strengthen their relationships to build a support network.
- Solidify their incomes so they remain housed.
This case management approach works, and outcomes improve when clients receive help that factors in their needs and experiences. Connecting people with services tailored to them can break the cycle of homelessness. Monique knows it firsthand.
She experienced homelessness in Anchorage for seven years and shuffled between shelters, campgrounds and medical facilities. Read an ADN story about Monique. In June 2022, Monique started case management with Home for Good. To redeem her housing voucher, she had to wait for an apartment in her price range to open. During that time, Monique confronted the challenges that had made remaining housed difficult. Her case manager supported her as she healed from and resolved those hardships.
After one long year, Monique learned that an apartment had been secured for her. “It was like Christmas morning,” she says. “It was like God wrapped it up all neat in a 12-month bow.” Monique was—and remains—thrilled and signed a lease. Learn about other ways we help community members sign leases and remain housed.
Now she’s in a larger home with a bigger kitchen. “I’m in the home that was intended for me,” she says. Monique’s unpacked slowly but surely, picked out furniture deliberately and found material to sew things that speak to her. “My living room has a red leather sofa with two reclining positions and a red bohemian rug,” she says with a big smile. “Once the red paisley floor-to-ceiling curtains are up, it’ll really be something.”
Monique continues receiving case management as a Home for Good client. With your help, we can make more services available for community members who need housing.