HOUSEWORK News from Transition House • Santa Barbara, California • Fall 2012
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HOUSEWORK news from transition house • santa barbara, california • fall 2012 Mom’s Brings Families Home By Isabelle Walker ast spring, Abby Richards’ life L took a turn for the “normal.” After twelve months of living in motels, doubled up with relatives, and in Tran- sition House’s emergency shelter, she and her daughter moved into their own two-bedroom apartment in the Mom’s complex Transition House recently constructed next to its administration building. Ordinary things most Ameri- cans take for granted are a reality again for her. She has a job, and she’s cooking meals for herself and her daughter in their very own kitchen. “I had given up,” said Abby. “[I Mom’s apartments offer supportive housing and a new infant day care center. thought] I was going to have to find a family for my daughter [to live with].” barrier to either employment or hous- tion and computer systems, when her Then she found out she was eligible ing stability. Both the tax credits and daughter was born at age 39, juggling for one of the eight new units in the vouchers allow Transition House to work and parenting without the support Mom’s building. charge some residents on fixed incomes of a spouse led to financial problems. Eight families moved into the new very low rent. A brand new infant-care In 2009, she was laid off from her job. apartment building in May after a center, with double the capacity of the She lived off savings and credit cards, long planning and construction pro- former center, is also up and running then moved in with relatives. But in cess. Funding came from Low-Income in the building. 2011, a day came when that was no Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), the Abby was born in Ethiopia but was longer feasible either, and they began City of Santa Barbara’s Community raised both in the United States and staying in inexpensive motels. It was Development Department, and Sec- Africa as her father was a high-placed tough, she said. tion Eight Project-Based vouchers from general in Emperor Hallie Selassie’s The day Abby realized their only the Housing Authority of the City of army. Her parents lost everything when remaining alternative was to stay in her Santa Barbara (HACSB). The units Selassie’s government was overthrown car was the worst day of all. She joined are designed for low-income families, in a 1974 coup. Abby was sent to the Transition House’s waiting list but room and case management is offered to United States to attend Mills College, was not immediately available. She re- all. Intensive case management is also and graduated with a B.A. in Govern- members sitting in her car, waiting for available for those who have special ment and Administration. Though her daughter to get out of school, and needs, including a physical or mental she held highly skilled positions in the disability, or some other significant U.S. and Ethiopia, mostly in informa- Continued on page 3 1 TRANSITION HOUSE Camp THINK Mixes Learning with Fun for the upcoming school year. In addition to tutoring, Camp THINK his summer, for the second run Camp THINK (Transition House kids were immersed in our community’s T year in a row, Transition House Igniting the Need for Knowledge). The diverse offerings, allowing them to partnered with the Santa Barbara three-week camp, which began at the discover places and professions they County Education Office (SBCEO) to end of the school year, consisted of one- wouldn’t normally experience. There on-one tutoring and field trips. Twenty were trips to museums, the Ty Warner children participated. Sea Center, the Botanic Gardens, and Linda Locker once again ran the both the police and fire stations. The kids camp’s tutoring program. With her also got to tour Santa Barbara Junior strong background in education, Locker High and High Schools, and UCSB. matched students with highly qualified Santa Barbara City Councilmember tutors from our community. Her pro- Cathy Murillo gave them a tour of City gram began by testing students and then Hall. Camp THINK emphasized all the focused on assisting them in the subject opportunities available to the kids if they area that challenged them most. This stay in school. allowed the children to continue devel- A huge thank you to our partners, oping academic skills throughout the staff and volunteers who made Camp At the fire station: learning to crawl low if three-week period and prepared them THINK a success! there is a fire. Touring Santa Barbara Junior High School. Experiencing The Ty Warner Sea Center with intern Trevor. Music time with tutor Nate Latta. Spraying the fire hose during our trip to the fire station. 2 HOUSEWORK Continued from page 1 receiving a call from a Transition House staff member. “It was a Friday. [I’d] put my stuff in storage. I’m sitting there thinking, ‘What are we going to do?’ [Then] I get a call from Transition House.” “The staff at Transition House had more confidence in me that I did,” Abby said. “When they told me they saw po- tential in me, I was thinking, “They don’t know. I’m going to disappoint them.” But she didn’t disappoint them. She kept looking for work and, shortly af- ter moving into Mom’s, received two job offers. Now that life is returning to normal, Abby said her daughter seems The new infant care center has more confident. daughter has a room of her own, and brand new furnishings. “The one word that describes the feel- Vivian is beginning to envision a future opportunity to realize the promise of a ing we have towards Transition House is for them. She said her daughter is get- bright future. Gratitude. I thank all those who believed ting good grades and playing basketball Transition House is proud to bring I had the ‘potential’ when I myself did in high school, but feelings of bitterness Mom’s to the community and honored not believe it and had given up.” remain after their years of living with- to work with families like Abby’s and A few steps from Abby’s apartment, out a home. Healing doesn’t happen Vivian’s as they begin to rebuild their another single mom is experiencing overnight. lives. the safety of permanent housing. Viv- Sitting at her dining-room table ian Goodchild (which is not her real clipping coupons, Vivian credits both surname) and her 15-year-old daughter Transition House and her faith for recently moved into one of Transition helping her out of a punishing period. House’s new units; theirs is a one bed- After years without housing, she and her room. But Vivian’s quest for financial daughter are finally home. and housing stability was longer and With Mom’s, Transition House has more arduous than Abby’s, carrying her expanded its development of affordable and her child to seven different cities. supportive housing because the agency Sometimes they stayed with extended realizes the enormous and traumatic family, sometimes they stayed in shelters; impact homelessness has on families. sometimes they slept on the street. During their stay at Transition House’s “I lost opportunities when I didn’t emergency shelter, families can work to have proper care for my daughter,” address the immediate financial crisis. Vivian recalled. “You can’t make any- But for some, moving back to permanent one keep your child for you [while you housing is only the first step in recover- work].” ing from the impact of homelessness Finally, in 2010, they were referred to and the dramatic issues the family Transition House’s emergency shelter. experienced leading up to their loss of After receiving case management from housing. Long-term case management shelter staff, Vivian and her daughter services are often required to keep the were placed in one of its new units. household financially stable and ensure The inner courtyard at Mom’s provides For the first time in her life, Vivian’s that every member of the family has the plenty of light. 3 TRANSITION HOUSE Celebrating the Memory of Three adventure as a volunteer there: “On her first day, she went into a shed to get Extraordinary Women paint supplies, and one of the children locked her inside!” It seems Mary took They say things happen in threes. This summer, Transition House lost three this very well. “I liked her immediately,” beloved and veteran volunteers: Sibyl Holder, Mary Ryan and Margaret said Brownett. “She was really funny. Corman. Each of the women was strong-minded, faithful, and passionate Mary had a self-deprecating humor that about serving those in need. As we mourn them, we also celebrate the many was delightful.” ways they blessed Transition House by giving of themselves so selflessly for so Schooler wants people to know “how much [Mary] cared about them. How many years. much she cared about the children at Transition House.” tion House in Bless you, Mary, for your long service Ryan Never Stopped their eulogies. to Transition House! Caring for the Children Mary Pat Mary Ryan began her service to Surmeier Transition decades ago, back when the served on the Margaret Corman: A agency was still located in the Quonset St. Barbara’s hut on Ortega Street. She cooked and Parish “din- Cheerful Voice on the coordinated volunteers from St. Barbara ner provider” End of the Line Parish at the Old Mission to serve din- team with Veteran Transition House volunteers ner to residents every third Wednesday Mary.