The life I enjoy today would not be possible without the assistance of numerous social welfare programs. This might be true for many people, but my circumstances are unique. Less than three years ago, I was a pregnant, homeless addict with minimal education and several outstanding warrants for my arrest. Changing my lifestyle was complicated. I did it by taking full advantage of every resource available to me. I sought county-funded residential treatment for my addiction. I utilized CPS services to re-unite with my newborn child. I also signed up for Cal Works (TANF), Food stamps, WIC, and MediCal. Though every one of these programs was extremely helpful, I probably owe my success to the Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center’s Mather Community Campus.

Mather Community Campus (MCC) is a two- year, live- in, employability program for the homeless. I heard about the program during the first week of my residential treatment and immediately applied. After all, I was homeless, unprepared for employment and had no idea where my daughter and I would go once I graduated the ninety-day drug program. I tried not to be discouraged by warnings of MCC’s long waiting list and rigorous selection process. I remember my main concern. Applicants must fit HUD’s definition of homeless and must remain homeless until the day they move into Mather. Let me translate this for my situation. In order to be considered homeless by HUD, a person must be in a shelter or live-in rehab facility. If I was discharged from rehab before being accepted into Mather, I would either have to find my way into one of the overcrowded shelters, with my three-month old baby, or my application would be ineligible. HUD does not allow you to sleep on a friend or relative’s couch for even one night without losing homeless status. So, I harassed the rehab counselors into writing glowing referrals on my behalf and called obsessively to check on the status of my application. I tried to remain hopeful.

I was called for an interview one month before rehab ended. Though it was over two years ago, I still vividly remember the first time I saw MCC. The converted military barracks and squat administration buildings looked ugly and uninviting to some, but not to me. This place represented my chance at a new beginning. To me, it was beautiful. I took my excitement into the interview with me. I think that is how I got accepted. It was obvious how optimistic I was about my future, a future I had never before dreamed possible. They moved me in almost immediately!

So I was given my own little apartment. It was tiny, with a miniature kitchen and a sink that only held two dishes at a time. The floors were all tiled and the furniture was used. None of that mattered because this was a place I could call home.

It is hard for me to explain how MCC works without explaining how well it worked on me. Everyone is assigned a case manager. I met with mine weekly to set small, reachable goals and discuss my progress. In addition, there was a large community meeting once a week where we could all share our success stories and reach out for whatever kind of support we needed. We shared three common goals; in two years we were all expected to have a job, a savings account, and a more permanent living situation. This translated into every resident, on differing schedules, working on similar tasks. Often this involved cleaning up credit reports, getting a drivers license, job training, seeking employment, and apartment hunting. This part seems so long ago to me now. I hardly remember what it was like to live without a license or bank account. My life is so easy now with my credit card and my economy vehicle. Until now, I forgot that I arrived at rehab with nothing but a backpack. Everything I have today is a direct result of the gifts I received from MCC.

The first several months at MCC are set aside for personal growth. This involves a regimen of classes to help residents deal with the issues that might surround homelessness. A few of these classes focused on basic finances, parenting, relapse prevention, interpersonal communication, mental health, and peer support groups. Though the subject matter was sometimes insultingly simple, I cannot express how valuable these groups were to me. After years of drug abuse and living in the streets, I hardly felt human. These basic classes gave me an opportunity to sit around other people from similar circumstances every day. I didn’t have to feel ashamed or different. After a while, I quit feeling like an outcast. This gradual re-introduction to social settings made it possible for me to consider enrolling in school.

MCC incorporates career counseling into the program, encouraging its residents to pursue a certificate at Lemon Hill adult school before entering the work force. This makes perfect sense because it offers students the opportunity to complete a program and enter the workforce in a very short time period, enabling MCC residents to be trained, employed and ready to move by the time their two years are up. I did not take this option. None of the job training programs interested me, so I researched County jobs and realized an Associate’s degree would increase my earning potential. I was pretty confident that I could succeed in school, but I would not have attempted it without the support I got from MCC. The counselor’s and community were very supportive. That was one of the biggest strengths of the program, the sense of community. Residents encouraged each other. Our neighbor’s success made our own seem possible.

School was both easier and harder than I ever expected. It was easier because I was surprised to discover my brain still worked. I had no problem understanding the lessons and retaining information. The hard part involved sitting in a classroom surrounded by college students. I felt like I didn’t belong. For a long time I felt like an unworthy imposter trying to blend in with the rest of the class. Without the support of my friends and neighbors at MCC I would not have been able to return to the classroom day after day. I did keep going; I got an Associate’s Degree in Social Sciences, and then made the spontaneous decision to stay in school. I was doing so well and had so much support at home that I decided to transfer to CSUS.

MCC made the rest of my life possible. This semester I will be applying for graduation. I have plans to pursue a Master’s degree and buy a home. I am excited about my life…and all of this is based on the strong foundation I gained at MCC.

Our Children Matter Highlight: David

David has been living at the Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center’s Mather Community Campus (MCC) site since February 2006. During David's stay at MCC he has had tremendous personal success as well as academic and athletic. He is currently in the 6th grade attending middle school. This fall, David played Pee Wee football and was a contributor to the team’s undefeated record throughout the entire season (14-0). On December 1, 2007, his team won the Pee Wee Super Bowl, defeating the other team 35-0. During the game David played both defensive back and wide receiver. Commended should also be given for his great commitment to the team and for not missing a practice during the entire six-month long season. He also excels in school and is a leader around campus. David lives with his mother and three sisters. Soon his family will be moving because they have successfully completed the MCC program. David is expected to do great things in his future, he has unlimited ability and potential to achieve all his dreams and goals.

The Brown Family

Six years ago, William Brown and his four young children lost their home and were living in their car after William’s wife abandoned the family. William was determined to provide a better life for his family, so he turned to Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center for help. Luckily, SAEHC runs the only shelter in Sacramento County that accepts single fathers and were able to provide the Brown Family with room and board, a Case Manager to help them access services, and programs for the children for 60 days. William says that he remembers the Family Shelter as a friendly place, where families work together to help each other and learn from each other regardless of race. When William stopped by to see us recently and update us on his progress, the first thing that he said was that he was glad that the shelter was still here. He said that there are always going to be families in need and that he can’t imagine where he and his children would be today if they had been turned away from SAEHC due to a lack of funding or a policy that doesn’t accept men.

When the Brown family left us in 2002, they had a second start at life and moved into a home of their own. And what happened after that is truly miraculous. William Brown, a former singer, had a vision that would become Children of God, Inc. the family gospel group that includes Mr. Brown, his son Leerteese Beirge, 16, and daughters Sabrina, 14, Brenda, 12, and Valerie, 8. Many of the songs are written by Sabrina, who wrote her first song, Jesus Taught Me How to Love, at 10 years old. She’s also the group’s lead singer and was the homecoming queen for the Grant Chargers Youth football team. Sabrina has written an autobiography on how she got into singing and how it helped improve her self-esteem and performance in school. She’s also written several yet-to-be published children’s books.

Children of God, Inc. has been invited to perform at churches, local school functions, and gospel shows throughout Northern California. Anyone interested in booking the group can contact them at (916) 349-6380 or by visiting their website at http://www.childrenofgodinc.com.

Diane Maher

My name is Diane Maher. I first came to Women’s Refuge on January 12, 2006. I was escaping from an abusive husband and I didn’t know where to go. Someone referred me to Women’s Refuge. I called and got in that same day. I was scared and broken. I was also an addict but I lied and said I was clean and sober.

I got a job and moved over to the ESP program and within a month I did a total tail spin. I went out one night (March 9, 2006) and I took a valium and got drunk and wrecked my jeep. I got arrested with a DUI and the next day I was asked to leave the ESP program, which I did with my tail between my legs. My family and friends did an intervention with me and I agreed to go into recovery. I did 7 days in detox and 30 days at a safe house, while waiting for a bed in recovery. I stayed clean and sober until I went into recovery. I did 52 days in recovery.

I had let Tahirih (the Supervisor at Women’s Refuge and ESP) know where I was and what I was doing. When I got out of recovery, I went right into the Women’s Refuge. I was so embraced with so much love and support. They saw that I had changed. Tahirih did everything possible to get me in Mather Community Campus. I did my share of hard work because she had let me go back over to ESP with a very strict contract that I had to follow to a tee. I could not have any free time, attend all classes, a meeting daily, and meditation regularly. I did it all every week.

I moved into Mather on September 13, 2006. I’m glad that there were people besides my family that still believe in me. I wouldn’t be here without Tahirih and the great staff at Women’s Refuge. I love them all. Thank you.

“Women’s Refuge Staff,
I love and miss you all. I’m doing great here. I love it and I will succeed.
Love,
Diane Maher
Thanks for all your support!”

Note: Because SAEHC offers such a variety of programs, sometimes we see clients through the initial shelter phase and the transitional housing phase. Diane came into SAEHC at our Women’s Refuge program for single, homeless women. She transitioned to our Extended Shelter Program where six women who have completed shelter stays can live in a house together for up to 4 months, while looking for something more permanent. Diane found a more permanence at Mather Community Campus (MCC), the two-year, employment-focused transitional housing program run by several agencies including SAEHC. Clients leave MCC with stable jobs and the ability to rent or even purchase their own home. Diane’s story is representative of SAEHC’s mission to not only help women and families with children in times of crisis, but to work with them and assist them towards stability and self-reliance.

Tyler-Burke Family

Hello my name is Carol. I reside at Mather Community Campus, Family Side. I live with my son, Tyler, who is 12, and my husband Tim. In August 2003, my husband and I had finally hit bottom. We were addicts and out of control. We lost our kids, our jobs, our house and finally our selves. We ended up on the streets of Sacramento and eventually at Loaves and Fishes.

Then we went to Salvation Army. We were told for us to get clean and sober then other things will come. I still remember being confused and hating myself for losing my children, so much I didn’t want to live. While living at Salvation Army I started attending bible study. My head was getting clearer my heart was getting filled and my spirit was being fed. All I really know is this, without a doubt, God saved me. I got clean and sober September 8, 2003. CPS had told me in August my children didn’t want to live with me. I changed my life after that. I was now very active in helping others at Salvation Army and was meeting all the requirements for family reunification. I applied for housing at several places and remembered thinking I want my family together. On November 20, 2003, I went on my Mather tour. During this time I was encouraged to keep a journal and this is what I had to say on that day. “Very nice place and looks like a nice place to fix me.” Little did I know just how much? In February 2004, I moved into Mather on the single side. I was excited and scared. I never lived alone before. My children in CPS and my husband in recovery, I was on my own.

My case manager revealed a plan to start to fix me. By June 16 2004, my son came home and I was moved to Mather family side. What I can say today is that without everyone’s help I wouldn’t be where I am today and because I had so much help my case with CPS was closed. I graduated drug court. I went to classes at Mather that changed my outlook on life like Anger management, Life skills, Interpersonal communications, Parenting and Parenting lab, and classes that helped with job readiness. When Tyler came home he was like many of the children who have gone through the system. He was angry and confused and had no self esteem; his grades were D’s and F’s. SAEHC Children’s Services helped Tyler where I couldn’t. Children's Services is much more than just babysitters. My child was given a youth case manager. They met weekly and he rebelled at first. After a while he came around and responded. Tyler now spends a lot of time with his case manager and several others. Tyler has completed all of his classes here such as Life skills and he just completed a ten week course called Youth Outreach Group. Additionally, Tyler was involved in volunteer work and job readiness, which included work in the community, making their resumes and being interviewed. This was good for my son. Tyler now has all A’s on his report card except for P.E. and that’s a B. Children services have helped my son with his self esteem so much.

I know without all that we’ve learned we couldn’t be as ready as we are. I will miss everyone. Special thanks to our case managers, our Directors, Administration and Children’s Services and support staff and all our friends at Mather Community Campus.

Thank you very much!