Shena knows what it’s like to be down and out. When she first heard about Community Progress Council, she was staying at the women’s homeless shelter at LifePath. Facing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, Shena struggled to keep a job and maintain a stable income.
“When I got introduced to CPC was when I really got hooked up with a lot of resources and started to network all my case workers I worked with, communicating as a team,” Shena said.
Shena signed up for “Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World,” a 16-week program at Community Progress Council where participants investigate the causes and conditions of poverty.
“To be there with other people in the community that were sharing their same issues, realizing there are so many people out there in the same boat as me,” Shena said. “That’s what started me with CPC and got me introduced to Coaching and all the resources.”
Through a referral to Bell Socialization, Shena enrolled in a temporary housing program that would support her transition from homelessness to a subsidized apartment. Bell’s SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program also helped her apply for disability. In four months, she was approved for benefits that now offer a steady monthly income.
“That’s changed my life,” Shena said.
As Shena moved from crisis to stability in her housing and income, her progress has opened up opportunities to focus on other goals and growth: Building her business in thrifting and selling women’s clothing — named for her two cats — and finishing her associate’s degree in business.
Community Progress Council’s “Take Charge of Your Money” financial education workshop also helped with tools to manage her monthly budget.
At every step, her Coach at Community Progress Council has been by her side.
“I don’t have a ton of family support, I don’t have family that lives in York,” Shena said. “[My coach] was always there, always answered my calls. She laid the groundwork for me, and I really felt like she cared.”
When she thinks about what’s different in her life now, she comes back to stability: Her apartment provides a place for her teenage son to visit. She reunited with her two cats who had been with family. And she’s ready to tackle the five courses remaining for her degree.
“Housing is the foundation for everything,” Shena said. “Everything’s just complete, and I feel like I can work on growing my business, my education, all that. It’s never too late.”
She’s also focused on paying it forward: Returning to formal volunteer opportunities like she’d done before with the Red Cross, setting up monthly donations to organizations who’ve supported her, and through informal relationships and information sharing.
Just a few weeks ago, she offered to buy breakfast for a couple huddled up outside a closed storefront in downtown York.
“The guy asked me, ‘Why are you doing this?’” Shena said. “But you know, I know how it is. It was $21. It made their day, and that makes my day.”