La Casa’s Housing First for Domestic Violence Victims Program empowered and stabilized 10 survivors like Ariana and their families across the last year
Ariana* was trying to put the trauma of her former partner's abusive behavior behind her. She'd left him, she'd moved, and she was participating in individual and group counseling at La Casa's Drop In Center to rebuild herself.
Her housing was precarious, however, and her batterer continued to threaten and intimidate her. So, with La Casa's help Ariana began to file police reports following each incident. She learned to advocate for herself, and Ariana pursued and obtained a restraining order to increase her sense of safety. She was determined to move her life forward.
Arianna was also working on-call at the time, and she did not make enough to rent her own apartment. Her family support was minimal, and when the opportunity to participate in La Casa's Housing First for Domestic Violence Victims Program opened up, Arianna cried with happiness and relief.
The potential recipient of one of 10 annual rental subsidies funded through the program, Ariana was proactive in the housing search process, and quickly found an apartment to rent. Then - new safe, stable housing secured - Ariana went to work on herself and her plan to increase her income. In addition to time-limited rental assistance subsidies, the Housing First Program helps survivors ramp up their earnings, savings, and long-term prospects for stability.
La Casa has given me the hope I need to move forward; and with all of their support, I have been able to overcome.
Ariana didn't speak English confidently, had a chronic health issue, and didn't have much formal school or training, so she had difficulty initially achieving reliable employment. With La Casa's support, however, Ariana found her path. She is in therapy to manage her trauma. She is finally able to attend regularly to her medical and dental health needs, and she attends a computer course and takes English-language classes to improve her confidence
Ariana also earned a CPR certificate that enabled her to secure a better paying job that puts her well on track to both meet her financial goals and successfully exit the Housing First Program next year.
Ariana sees her own resilience and recently shared:
La Casa me a dado esperanza de seguir adelante y con todo el apoyo, yo he podido superarme.
*Identifiers are always changed to preserve survivors’ confidentiality