Edith’s Story

Edit has been a participant of Newcap’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program since November of 2018. The Permanent Supportive Housing Program provides long-term housing with supportive services for homeless persons with disabilities by reintegrating chronically homeless and other highly vulnerable homeless families and individuals with psychiatric disabilities or chronic health challenges into the community by addressing their basic needs for housing and providing ongoing support.

Prior to this she was a part of the foster system and has struggled with homelessness since age seven. She moved to the Green Bay Area by way of a relationship in which she continued to struggle with homelessness off and on. She was later assigned a Case Manager at the Micah Center who later referred her to Newcap programming. After being accepted into the program she was housed a month later. 

Edith has a very big heart and wants to help everyone she possibly can, because of this she has struggled with wanting to help others who are struggling as well. Overtime this continued to cause issues within her housing process. In August 2019, she was served with an eviction notice for various reasons. Newcap began looking for new housing arrangements for Edith however her move out date was coming up quickly. The Permanent Supportive Housing Case Manager sat down with her for her last home visit at her apartment and asked her, “What do you want to do?”

Edith responded, “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

The Case Manager asked her, “Well who do you want to be?”

Edith began crying and explaining that she wanted to be “better.” The Case Manager sat with her and wrote a list of things she personally felt needed to change to meet this goal. The chief concern ended up being the community that she was choosing to spend her time with. The Case Manager began looking for apartments in other counties. An apartment in Oconto County was located and offered to Edith. Edith was very hesitant and scared to take this offer because it would be like starting over for her. Her Case Manager sat with her at that time and wrote a pros and cons list of why moving to Oconto would be good and why moving would be bad. After finishing the list, Edith was able to see that moving to Oconto would be the most beneficial decision for her at this time. Her Case Manager reminded her that this was her decision and that it couldn’t be made by anyone else other than her if she wanted to be successful, be better. Edith decided she would move to Oconto. Knowing the circumstances and influence of her current community her Newcap Housing Case Manager asked her one last time, “Are you sure this is what you want?”

Edith responded, “Yes. I want to do it.” So, her Case Manager pulled some boxes out of the trunk of their car and began helping Edith pack her entire apartment up that day. 

Edith moved to Oconto that day and never looked back. Today she has done a complete 180. She is currently working two jobs and has been clean of any illegal substances for three months. Sh has been going to weekly meetings, regular appointments for continued health and volunteering at a local church. Newcap Housing staff could not be more proud of the woman she has chosen to become.