Living in a rental home in DuPage County with her partner, young daughter, and teenage son, Samantha never expected to only have 30 days to find somewhere to live. While navigating the diagnosis of a severe sleep disorder, Samantha’s life took an unexpected turn. Her relationship ended abruptly, leaving her, now a single mother with children, with nowhere to go. As she continued to await her disability benefits without a steady income, their housing future looked uncertain.
Thankfully, Samantha found refuge at DuPagePads, where the Interim Housing Center (IHC) provided safety and stability for her and her youngest child, Lillian. While she looked for a place to call home permanently, they were grateful to move into a room where they could breathe easy and Samantha could focus on her medical and housing goals.
“It felt good to be able to get into the room, shut the door. I felt safe,” shared Samantha. “It didn’t feel like what you would picture being homeless to feel like.”
Of course, Lillian had a difficult time adjusting to going to school while navigating the trauma of experiencing homelessness in her youth. Despite having previously attended a middle school for gifted students, her test scores had plummeted. But having the dignity of a door meant everything. Samantha and Lillian had support, not just shelter. The two went to the playground on the IHC property often and socialized with other families, building community and feeling supported by staff, volunteers, and other residents.
They had a front door to open and decorate, a bathroom of their own, and a place to spend time together. While it wasn’t ideal, Samantha did everything she could to brighten up the space while she worked with her case managers to find housing.
“Once we were set up there at the IHC, I wanted to make sure that our room felt like a home,” Samantha recalled. “I would put her pictures, you know, the pictures she made at school, on the wall, and we’d put up all our little holiday decorations for Christmas or Easter. And when you walked in the door, it felt like you were going home.”
Something as small as being able to have a place to decorate allowed Samantha and Lillian a small sense of normalcy and truly made all the difference to them both. Lillian began to sing and write music, and Samantha found a silver lining or two as well.
“I’m not addicted to the television anymore. My love of reading has come back, which has been gone for so long. Our bond became closer at the IHC.”
After 16 months of hard work, Samantha’s case manager told her that she was approved for an apartment.
“I was so excited, I was jumping up and down,” said Samantha. “We were just so happy that we were going to be moving to our own home.”
Samantha and Lillian’s gratitude for DuPagePads shines brightly.
“To the volunteers, and donors, thank you so much for supporting us, and we love and appreciate you for all the things you’ve done,” Lillian shared with a smile. “And now I’m here, because of all of you.”
Today, the mother-daughter duo is happier than they thought possible in their new apartment in Glendale Heights. Lillian continues to flourish into an artistic and creative third grader, playing instruments, singing, painting and drawing. She attends choir three times a week.
You can help more families like Samantha and Lillian by visiting www.dupagepads.org/donate.
