Domestic violence caused Lisa* and her two sons, Mark and Peter,* to abandon their Bend home. Fortunately, they could move in with family – Lisa’s parents. That safety, however, was short lived as the landlord threatened eviction due to excessive occupancy. Lisa and the boys immediately moved to the NeighborImpact family shelter to avoid her parent’s eviction.
While at the shelter, Lisa could continue to work. She managed to pay off debt associated with property she had purchased with her husband and buy a used car. Additionally, Lisa went back to school, saved enough for three months’ rent, and moved her family into a new home. Using the shelter not only kept this family from living on the streets, but also helped them to thrive. Lisa was able to continue working, save money, pay down debt, return to school, and start a new life with her boys. In December, Lisa will graduate from OSU-Cascades with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
* All names changed to protect privacy.
