Gretchen Waschke fell behind on her bills while going through a divorce, and arrived home one night to find her water and electricity shut off. There was an eviction notice on her door, and she spent a sleepless night wondering where she and her daughter would live. In a new video recorded at Building Changes' "Talk It Up: Stories of Home, Lost & Found" event, Gretchen shares her story and talks about her current work serving families who are experiencing homelessness.
Featured Advocates
“She Was Just a Struggling Person”
As a child, Timothy Bell was terrified of his mother. He escaped her abuse at age 12 and lived on the streets for a summer. Years later, after his mother died, Timothy made a discovery that changed his perception of her. In a new video recorded at Building Changes' "Talk It Up: Stories of Home, Lost & Found" event, Timothy shares his story and talks about his current work with youth who are in foster care.
“We Got a Phone Call That Our House Had Burned Down”
Liz Allen's house went up in flames when she was 13, and her family lost nearly all their belongings. Her mom tried to spin the following weeks as an adventure -- their family was going to stay in a hotel with a pool! But the challenges of instability eventually weighed heavy, and grief struck on a night when Liz didn’t expect it. In a new video recorded at Building Changes' "Talk It Up: Stories of Home, Lost & Found" event, Liz shares her story and talks about how her experiences relate to the advocacy work she does now.
Architect Who Experienced Homelessness Now Advocates for Thriving Communities
Poppi Handy joined the high school swim team so she could get regular showers while her family experienced homelessness. School was an escape for Poppi, who did well in the classroom despite many challenges. Now an architect, Poppi designs inclusive communities and advocates for policies that will help people have the resources they need to thrive. Listen to her StoryCorps "Finding Our Way" conversation with her husband, Brent.
“Do I Pay My Legal Financial Obligations, Or Do I Buy Diapers?”
“When you live on the streets, you have to do what you can to survive,” Coreen says. For her, that meant using drugs, as well as stealing clothes, food and cars. After a decade of struggling with addiction and going in and out of incarceration, Coreen turned her life around. Now she's a devoted mom, but court-imposed debt is keeping her from giving her son the life he deserves.