Mary, her husband and daughter moved to Knoxville from another state after being evicted from their home. The family had been turned away by other shelters because of overcrowding and were unable to find a place to stay. In need of help, her family was referred to the Salvation Army. Mary’s husband was directed to a men’s shelter and Mary agreed to stay at the Salvation Army’s Joy Baker Center. The Joy Baker Center provides emergency residential services and ongoing treatment and support for women and women with children. Information and referrals, case management, advocacy, therapeutic services, and specialized services for children are also provided in an effort to end the cycle of victimization and enable clients to positively restructure their lives. Through this program, Mary’s daughter also received homeless services and was enrolled in Knox County Schools.
Despite residing in separate shelters, Mary and her husband diligently worked together toward finding a new home for their family to be together. However, issues arose when Mary could not supply a copy of her birth certificate. The Joy Baker Center and Women’s Shelter connected Mary with a case worker that would help her navigate the process of obtaining a birth certificate from out of state. Unfortunately, Mary was informed that receiving a birth certificate from out of state could take several weeks. The family’s hopes of finding a home were delayed and they remained in separate shelters.
Mary and her husband submitted applications to various apartment complexes hoping that her birth certificate would arrive before they were approved for housing. Thanks to the shelter provided by The Salvation Army, Mary and her husband were able to focus their efforts on paying off the balances they owed for previous utilities and rent. Without this support, the family would not have been eligible for many of the housing options they applied for.
After weeks in the shelter, Mary and her husband received a housing offer from an income based apartment complex just after her birth certificate arrived. Mary, her husband and their daughter were finally able to move into their own apartment and were reunited again.