The Stories
Mother and Daughter - Kathleen and Paige
A Close-knit Team
Kathleen's face is wrought with exhaustion and anxiety as she tries to keep her daughter, Paige, occupied. School is out for the summer, and there's only so much coloring and reading a six-year-old can do. Paige wants to visit the zoo, but right now they can't even afford bus fare to the park.
Kathleen and Paige are a close mother-daughter team trying to navigate a complex situation. Kathleen, her fiancé Russell, and Paige have been homeless for several months. Kathleen tries her best to reassure her normally cheerful child that everything will be okay, but Paige often hears the stressful tone in her mother’s voice. Their life is in upheaval, and the plans they made for a new start are broken. The family has moved several times within the last year, and this devoted mother worries about the toll the instability has taken on her little girl. Kathleen is only 25, but already has experienced a lifetime of difficulties.
Life Before Homelessness
Born and raised in Illinois, Kathleen dropped out of high school in the 11th grade, but two years later she earned her GED. When Paige was born, her dream of attending nursing school was placed on the back burner, and she took a job as a housekeeper in a nursing home. Paige's father passed away when she was a toddler, and Kathleen met Russell four years ago.
Raising Paige together, Russell and Kathleen worked full-time jobs and lived in a modest two-bedroom apartment. But when an ex-boyfriend of Kathleen's reappeared on the scene and became increasingly hostile toward her and Paige, Kathleen grew fearful for their safety. When the couple learned that friends were headed to Florida, they saw the promise of good jobs and a fresh start as an opportunity to get away from the ex-boyfriend and begin a new life.
Kathleen, Russell and Paige initially began to put down roots in a small town in north Florida; however, plans changed. Their friends convinced them to move further south to Hillsborough County. They reluctantly agreed and temporarily settled into a motel in Tampa. A few mornings later, Kathleen and Russell woke to find their friends had left, abandoning them in a new city with a small child, no vehicle and no source of income. They were homeless.
Desperate and afraid, Kathleen and Russell sought the aid of a non-profit organization that generously helped them secure another motel room. To give Paige some semblance of stability, they enrolled her in kindergarten at a school close to the motel. The county school system also reached out to the family, providing Paige with desperately needed items, such as clothing, books and toys.
Kathleen and Russell found employment, but when the motel raised the rent to $275 a week, they could no longer afford to stay there. They were forced to call on extended family members who agreed to let them stay, but just long enough to get back on their feet.
Life Now
Russell bikes five miles to and from work and is making $7 an hour as a temporary employee at a roofing materials company. His wages barely cover the rent and bills. He is hoping to be hired on as a permanent employee with a $2 raise. Kathleen and Russell also placed their marriage plans on hold. They can't afford a simple ceremony or even a marriage license. They are temporarily renting a room, living doubled up with acquaintances. The situation is far from ideal, as space is tight and tensions are mounting.
Paige sticks close to her mother, but she’s also eager to go back to school and start the first grade. School has been a welcome refuge for this bright little girl whose life has been in flux for the past year. When Paige starts school, Kathleen will try to find a job within walking distance. An additional income is the only hope for an end to their current situation.
The Future
Kathleen and Russell want to find a permanent place to live, but coming up with the first and last month’s rent, plus security deposits, is a tremendous undertaking. Despite what they have been through, they have faith that life will get better. One day they will get married and give Paige a happy home.
