Meet Emma

After 24 years of marriage, facing daily physical and mental abuse, Emma* realized it was time to leave– but that is easier said than done. “Sometimes, you don’t realize the mask the person you love wears, until you are living with them, and the difficulty to actually leave,” Emma shares.  

At 61 years old, Emma made the very difficult decision to leave her situation, realizing “I can’t go through this the rest of my life enduring this.”  Anyone living in this kind of abuse knows the struggle and challenges of leaving. For Emma, this difficulty was magnified by a devasting medical condition, that progressed to the point of her needing a wheelchair.  Emma had worked since she was 15 years old, but this disease left her unable to work. She enrolled in social security disability, but leaving her marriage meant leaving her home. 

With nowhere else to go, Emma had to live on the streets of downtown Lancaster. Each night, she would find a place to sleep away from other people. Often, the freezing weather was unbearable. Alone and hidden in the dark, she was cold and afraid, but she knew a better path lay ahead.  

After eight months of living on the streets and sleeping outside, Emma heard about 211, the housing help phone line. She called and was put in contact with Kathryn, a case manager at Tenfold’s program, Shelter to Independent living (STIL). Just like that, her life was on a new trajectory.   

Tenfold’s STIL program works with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, helps them find housing, and empowers them to become self-sufficient through counseling, education, and goal setting. The program assists clients to obtain safe, affordable housing and to receive 6 to 12 months of housing case management to help them maintain leases and keep expenses paid on time. The program also helps clients take charge of their money, save for future goals, reduce debt, and improve credit.  

Kathryn worked with Emma visiting several potential apartments to find permanent housing. Emma shares, “I was afraid to tell prospective landlords that I was homeless, but one couple took my hand and said it would be okay, and it was.  This year, Emma will be celebrating the holidays in her own apartment.   

Also working alongside Emma was Jackie, a program manager in the STIL program, who provided a year-long individualized program including budget counseling and community resources to support Emma on her journey.  

Today, Emma is happy and enjoying the peace of stable and sustainable housing. “I gave 125% to this,” she shares. “Now it is my time.” 

Your support allows us to continue helping individuals like Emma move from homelessness to permanent housing. To donate to Tenfold during this year’s ExtraGive, click here: https://www.extragive.org/organizations/tenfold  

*Emma’s name has been changed to protect her identity.