Homeless in Westchester"Susan's Story

July 2008

Homelessness can happen to anyone. It does not discriminate based on age, race, gender or social standing and its roots cannot be traced to a single common denominator. Just as each person is unique, so too are the factors unique to each individual who becomes homeless. The problem of homelessness is enormous and at times it can seem intractable. This is why PATH celebrates the accomplishments of those who we help find safety off of the streets with a place to call home. Susan's story is an example of one such case:

Susan is a young woman in her early thirties. She quit her job to become the primary caregiver for her ailing mother. After her mother's passing, Susan had to vacate the apartment she shared with her mother as she could not afford the rent. With no support system in place, she soon found herself living in her car. One day, while driving her vehicle, she was in a serious car accident. As the paramedics transported her to the nearest emergency room, a towing company removed her totaled car from the accident site. Unfortunately, all of her belongings were still in the vehicle. As a result, she lost her drivers license, social security card, bank card as well as all of her personal belongings.

After her discharge from the hospital, Susan began to wander the streets of Westchester. She could only explain her experience of homelessness as "I was frightened and alone and felt I had nowhere to turn. The only clothes I had were those I was wearing at the time of the accident. I couldn't believe it was happening to me. I never thought I could become homeless."

One day the PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) homeless outreach team was working in Westchester and found Susan sitting in front of a Starbucks. She was alone, tired and in need of assistance. PATH reached out to her and identified temporary housing at one of its facilities in Hollywood. She was given a place to stay the very same day.

It has been two months since Susan arrived at PATH Hollywood. She is finding stability, is forming new friendships, and is currently working with a case manager who has developed a service plan specifically tailored to meet her needs. She is exploring employment opportunities and after just two months, has found subsidized housing that she will move in within the next month.

Susan is on her way to ending her experience of homelessness. She is strong and is determined to succeed. PATH is proud of her achievement and looks forward to her continued progress.

*Some details have been changed to protect the privacy of PATH participants.