Cach

At age 23, after leaving a domestic violence situation, Cach moved in with her mother. However, the stability she hoped for was short-lived—her mom was battling stage 4 breast cancer and passed away just two weeks after her 40th birthday. This left a grief-stricken Cach at a crossroads. “I was back and forth with my ex, and I was going through emotional, physical and financial abuse. I was battling whether I wanted to stay or do what was best for me and leave… eventually I wandered off on my own and started sleeping outside,” Cach recalls. “I was worried and constantly trying to figure out where I was going to lay my head every night, how I was going to eat.”

After several weeks, Cach began returning to the same place each night, somewhere she felt a sense of safety: the backyard of a woman named Ms. Cheryl. Ms. Cheryl first noticed Cach on her Ring home security camera. Over time, she worked to build trust, bringing Cach blankets and food. She was often joined by her neighbor, Ms. Pat. Together, Ms. Cheryl and Ms. Pat encouraged Cach to visit Housing Forward’s Support Center to explore available resources. “I was scared. I was nervous. I was embarrassed,” she says. “I’ve never really been the type of person to be open about my situation. But I knew I had people willing to hear me out, listen, understand, and help me as best they could.”

At Housing Forward, Family Support Specialist Ebony recognized the trust that had already been established between Cach and Ms. Pat. She also saw an opportunity for diversion—a practice that provides one-time financial assistance to help someone secure a temporary place to stay.

Ebony provided Ms. Pat and Cach with $1,000 to cover food, clothing, and other essentials, and Cach moved in with Ms. Pat.

Cach has now been staying with Ms. Pat for several months, and in that time, they have developed a close relationship. With a stable place to stay, Cach has been able to save money and is now searching for a place of her own. Today, she is working as a certified behavioral therapist with children with autism.

“Sometimes it feels too good to be true. I’ve come a long way. I am strong. At first, I probably wouldn’t have been able to say that—but through the people who helped me, I can.”