What Happens When Housing Comes with Support?

Reggie carefully hung his interview clothes on a makeshift hanger inside their tent. The outfit (a button-down shirt and slacks he picked out at The Caring Place) represented everything he was fighting for. He couldn't afford to let them wrinkle, when this job might change everything.

For years, he and Cristy had been living on the margins. Addiction had deprived them of jobs, stability, and a place to call home. Basic things like hot meals or a safe place to sleep felt impossibly out of reach.

Then they found United Way of the Ocoee Region's Housing United program that offered more than a roof over their heads. The program, run in partnership with The Caring Place, connected them with case managers who stuck around, a housing navigator who knew the housing market, and a real plan for long-term stability

Through Housing United, Reggie was connected with the Cleveland Lions Club, which helped him get a new pair of glasses. It was the first time in years he could see clearly. He landed that job. Karis Community Health provided the dental care Cristy needed. After many years of being ashamed to open her mouth, she started smiling again. That confidence carried her all the way to a shift lead position at Whirlpool and reignited a dream of becoming a social worker. The Housing Navigator at United Way identified a new landlord partner who gave them the opportunity to fulfill a long-time dream of a stable place they got to call home.  

Nearly four years later, they're still in their home and about to celebrate five years of sobriety. Reggie has a stable job and Cristy is serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with a United Way partner. She’s about to graduate with her bachelor's degree in social work. Together, they are building the future they once thought was impossible.

United Way understands that housing and health aren't separate issues and finds creative ways to address them together. Through partnerships with organizations like Karis Community Health, The Caring Place, and direct service programming, United Way supports neighbors like Reggie and Cristy as they move from crisis to stability.