Lu was working in the hospitality industry when she was struck by a car that left her in chronic pain, disabled, and unable to return to work. The sudden loss of income caused her to lose her home and she moved with her four young children into a hotel, quickly depleting her savings. \u201cKeep your bags packed,\u201d she\u2019d tell the kids, never knowing when the money would run out. After living for a year in hotels, Lu moved with her children into emergency shelter. \u201cWhen you\u2019ve been homeless\u201d Lu says, \u201cyou look at people differently. You realize that everyone is going through something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lu learned about Solid Ground while she was staying with her children at the shelter. \u201cIt was a God-send\u201d she exclaims. \u201cI was on the waiting list for about two weeks when we learned we got in.\u201d In November of 2011, Lu and her four children moved into an apartment at Solid Ground\u2019s East Metro Place 2, which provides permanent supportive housing to families with children who have experienced long-term homelessness. \u201cIt was right before the holidays,\u201d Lu recalls, \u201cand the kids were so excited to celebrate in their new home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lu participated in everything that Solid Ground has to offer- budgeting and tenant classes, coat drives, Holiday Express, community meals, and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy). Led by Solid Ground\u2019s Director of Programs, DBT provides participants with new skills to manage painful emotions and decrease conflict in relationships. \u201cI loved DBT!\u201d Lu exclaims. \u201cIt helped me get out of survival mode.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal has always been to get what I need and move on,\u201d Lu says as she returns the keys to the apartment that has been her family\u2019s home for the past ten years. \u201cI want to give the next person the same opportunity I had to get back on my feet.\u201d She took business classes at Century College while her children benefited from Solid Ground\u2019s after-school tutoring program. \u201cThe volunteer tutors really are wonderful! They helped my son get his grades up and stay up!\u201d Additionally, Lu sat on the East Metro Place Resident\u2019s Council and encouraged other families to take advantage of Solid Ground\u2019s holistic programming that she referred to as \u201clife changing.\u201d<\/p>\n
This month, Lu is moving out of East Metro Place and into a five-bedroom house in the suburbs using her Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. She is thrilled to have enough room for all of her children and grandchildren. \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted my own house,\u201d Lu recalls. \u201cSolid Ground made it possible for me to have everything I need. It just took a lot of hard work and dedication.\u201d<\/p>\n
During their time at Solid Ground, three of Lu\u2019s four children graduated high school and the youngest, Devon, just started his freshman year. \u201cIt is such a wonderful feeling to be back on my own; to have accomplished the goals I set for myself and for my children\u201d Lu says proudly, with a smile. \u201cThis year, we will celebrate the holidays together, in our own home.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lu was working in the hospitality industry when she was struck by a car that left her in chronic pain, disabled, and unable to return to work. The sudden loss of income caused her to lose her home and she moved with her four young children into a hotel, quickly depleting her savings. \u201cKeep your…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5964,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-events"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n