Lifestyle

Family already struggling from pandemic, now homeless after Ida; Mom just wants a job that will pay the bills


BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – For the final two months, Melissa and her 15-year-old and 16-year-old sons and her 14-year-old daughter have been residing in a U-Haul van.

Melissa, whose identify has been modified out of her concern of being acknowledged, and her household had been already on rocky floor previous to Hurricane Ida tearing by way of Louisiana. She acquired COVID earlier than the storm, was out of labor for a month after which wound up out of a job altogether.

“I mainly misplaced my place to remain, and it simply went downhill from there,” Melissa mentioned. “I spent all the cash that I had saved up in motels and various things.”

When the hurricane hit, the resort she was staying in booked up, and when it was time to resume, it now not had area. She couldn’t discover one other resort to remain in and her funds had been working low. She filed for help however with no everlasting handle. She mentioned she was placed on a waitlist and has not heard again on any assist.

Melissa discovered a part-time job, bringing residence $200 per week however that isn’t sufficient to pay for a roof over her youngsters’ head.

“I don’t ever need to be like this once more in my life, ever,” Melissa mentioned. “It’s simply if I can get round and discover someplace to remain, I can handle this. It gained’t be so onerous. All the pieces else is materials.”

For the final two months, discovering a spot has been tough although. A “buddy” has paid for a U-Haul van to assist her get round city however as a substitute, she has resorted to residing out of it along with her three youngsters. The shelters she reached out to she mentioned wouldn’t settle for her and her youngsters.

Michael Acaldo, the president of St. Vincent de Paul, mentioned tales like this have gotten extra widespread because of the lapse within the eviction moratorium and the financial hardships caused by the pandemic, Hurricane Ida and the rising inflation.

“I believe issues, as inflation proceed to rise, as evictions grow to be extra prevalent, you’re going to see extra homelessness,” Acaldo mentioned.

Acaldo mentioned the extent of homelessness and the necessity for housing help is as dangerous as some other time he has seen.

Thankfully for Melissa and her household, Acaldo and St. Vincent de Paul discovered room for her and her three youngsters at their shelter. Which means they are going to now not should stay out of a van, however it’s simply step one in recovering. Melissa mentioned she nonetheless wants a better-paying job, one thing that may assist pay the payments and preserve a everlasting roof over her household’s heads.

“I’d relatively be on somebody’s job working than to do that as a result of I don’t need anyone to only give me something,” she mentioned. “I need to work for it.”

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