Client Story: Tracey

Thanks to your support, Tracey and her family no longer sleep on air mattresses or eat family dinners on the floor.

After living in hotels and in a homeless shelter for 18 months, Tracey now has her own apartment and a new job. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tracey’s job, like so many others, is in jeopardy.

Prior to being homeless, Tracey gave up her apartment after her mother died and moved to Norway to be with her Norwegian husband, Olaf.

Tracey lived in Norway with her two youngest children, now ages 16 and 14, for a year and applied for dual citizenship. When Norway rejected her application, she moved back to the United States with her husband and children.

During their search for work, the newlyweds had stayed in several hotels and used up their savings.

“We could not continue to pay for hotels and save enough money for an apartment at the same time,” Tracey said. “We couldn’t believe how much prices went up on apartments, so we ended up homeless.”

After the couple ran out of money, they stayed at a homeless shelter for almost a year. The Coalition for the Homeless paid the first month’s rent and deposits for the family to obtain an apartment once they found employment.

The family had lived in an empty apartment for a month and was referred to The Mustard Seed for furniture assistance by the Coalition.

“We didn’t have any furniture or chairs. Nothing,” Tracey said. “We were eating on the floor off paper plates. To get some help really makes me feel good that I can have two feet to stand on and someone to help me build on that.”