Sarah’s House in Anne Arundel County, on the grounds of Ft. Meade, includes a short-term family emergency shelter, long-term family transitional housing and a licensed day care center for the residents. Each family is assigned a caseworker, a professional who helps them navigate through the maze of resources that may be available to help them return to stable lives and to make a plan for remaining self-sufficient. The Bloom family story illustrates how applying a variety of resources is often the answer to helping our clients reclaim their independence.
Kevin and Janice Bloom found themselves struggling during these rough financial times. The family home was declared uninhabitable after they discovered several serious safety issues that they could not afford to repair. Unable to find affordable housing for their family of six, they became homeless. They were determined to stay together but there are very few family shelters in Maryland. Sometimes Janice and the children would stay in one shelter while Kevin was sent to another shelter miles away. With both parents working and sharing childcare responsibilities, the situation became unbearable. It was a great relief when they finally received a referral to Sarah’s House and could all live together.
During their time at Sarah’s House, the family worked with their caseworker in obtaining health care services, applying for public assistance programs and searching for affordable housing. After four months, they were able to move to a new home they could afford thanks to the dedicated staff of Sarah’s House and the variety of resources they identified.