2ROOFS is Whatcom County's own social real estate team. Every sale helps house a person in need at no additional cost to you. See how it works HERE.
Thank you Jasmine Goodnow!
Thank you Jasmine for choosing us at 2roofs. We enjoyed getting to know you and helping you find the perfect character home in a bike-able area! We wish you all the best in your adventures both locally and as the world traveler you are! We are so excited to share the story of Chantel who your sale went to help. Together, we are creating a more beautiful world 2roofs at a time.
LYDIA PLACE - Chantel's Journey
After entering her first program, Chantel transitioned in and out of community programs and shelters, only to find herself stuck in a cycle of homelessness. Living in poverty, without any family support to help get her back on her feet, Chantel bounced from housing programs, to unstable housing, to friend’s couches. This instability resulted in Chantel losing custody of her older children, a devastating and painful wakeup call. Pregnant with Lahanna, and not willing to repeat the past, she made the decision to break the cycle of homelessness for herself and her unborn child once and for all.
Over the next year, Chantel worked hard to create stability for little Lahanna but a permanent home still seemed out of reach. Then an opening became available in the Lydia Place Transitional House. Chantel worked one-on-one with a case manager for 6 months while she participated in the Lydia Place Family Services Program. Chantel says the Transitional House, and life skills classes were instrumental in changing her outlook, especially the parenting classes. Today, she believes in the support of case management and feels that it helps her hold herself accountable for her decisions. Chantel stated, “I want to keep learning. I want to have something that is constantly reminding me to be a better parent. I know I get upset and I get frustrated, and I have to take a step back and calm myself down. I have to set an example.”
After six long months of hard work, Chantel and her family celebrated a huge success; they moved into a home of their own. Chantel and her children transitioned to a Supportive Services unit, a partnership with the Bellingham Housing Authority and Lydia Place that provides permanent, supportive housing for families exiting homelessness. Chantel has thought a lot about why things are different this time, “I don’t want to go back to a shelter. I don’t want to continue to do that. I want to have a home for my kids, and I can’t do that if I am bouncing from shelter to shelter.”