SHAWNELL’S STORY

When returning home after four years in the military, Shawnell felt lost and confused. Her family seemed to think she had it all together, but she still felt like the same scared little girl who had enlisted at age 17. Finding herself under the negative influence of a new set of friends, Shawnell made reckless choices and got into trouble. A single mom with three small children, she came to the point when she realized she had to get her life back on track. “I needed to provide for my kids and live a fair and righteous life,” she said.

Shawnell, now 30, often works at multiple jobs to stay self-sufficient. However, a small slip could put her over the edge, like when she was evicted last winter for falling behind on her rent. Project Journey, a United Way-funded transitional housing program for female Veterans and their children run by the Veterans Leadership Program, provided shelter and support so that Shawnell could continue to work while looking for permanent housing. After finding a great house with a rent-to-own
option, Shawnell still couldn’t afford to move because she had been putting all her earnings toward paying down debt. She called PA 2-1-1 Southwest and, to her great relief, the Emergency Basic Needs Fund covered her moving expenses.

Shawnell and her children love their new home. “I have extreme faith,” she said, “but I had been struggling. When I called PA 2-1-1 Southwest, I didn’t just get rent money. I got hope for our future.”