A Family Who Just Needed a Chance
“I honestly would tell anyone in the shelter to keep your head up. They have so many resources to help you. Take everything and run with it. Its ok to ask for help,” RJ said. “I didn’t like asking for help, but I needed to.”
When Lynnette Myers, Possibilities Case Manager, visits the Jones family, the children run to greet her with a cheerful, “Hello!” Their apartment is warm and full of life—a reminder of how far RJ and Ashley have come in a short time.
Earlier this year, RJ, Ashley, and their four children were experiencing homelessness, living in their car. After staying at Bell Family Shelter, the family moved into our Possibilities Transitional Housing Program, where they began working toward stability and a place to call their own.
For Ashley, one of the hardest parts of being homeless was knowing their children were going through it with them.
“If it was just RJ and I, we wouldn’t have minded sleeping in a car. We wouldn’t have minded going hungry. It was the fact that our children were involved. This made us push hard every day,” she shared.
The couple did whatever they could to provide for their family. RJ worked long hours and double shifts. On his days off, he drove for DoorDash to help make ends meet.
“I will always go the extra mile to do what I need to do for our family,” RJ explained.
Their determination was strong. In just three months, they found an apartment, Ashley earned her GED, passing each test on the first attempt. She is now in her second semester of college, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration. RJ and Ashley have secured good jobs and are working to pay down debt, build their credit, and eventually buy a house.
“We have been trying our best,” Ashley said. “Together, we have learned that when we have the money, we go ahead and pay our rent and bills right then and there.”
For RJ, the opportunity to prove his family could succeed meant everything. During their assessment for the Possibilities Program, he told Lynnette, “I made a lot of mistakes, but I just need somebody to give us a chance and to believe in us.”
Lynnette saw their potential. She watched as RJ and Ashley followed through on their responsibilities, from paying rent and taking their children to appointments to submitting paperwork on time and keeping their apartment clean.
Her belief in them extended beyond case management. While RJ was working long hours, Lynnette even helped Ashley fold laundry—a small gesture that meant a great deal to a family working hard to get back on its feet.
“Lynnette definitely saw something in us that no one else did,” RJ said. “She offered us an open hand, and we took it and ran with it. She gave us that chance.”
“It made me feel really good to watch them grow,” Lynnette shared. “I knew that they could do it. I am proud of what the two of you have accomplished.”
Today, RJ and Ashley know their journey is not without challenges. There are still moments when money is tight, and the bills feel overwhelming, but their experiences have taught them how to plan.
“Despite everything we are working on, some days we feel like we aren’t doing enough. Those moments happen. After experiencing homelessness, we know how hard it is. When you think you are ready, plan for when you are not ready,” Ashley said.
For the couple, their four children remain their greatest motivation. They want to give them a stable home and prevent them from experiencing the hardships they have faced. Also, RJ and Ashley want other families experiencing homelessness to know that asking for help can be the first step toward a new beginning.
“I honestly would tell anyone in the shelter to keep your head up. They have so many resources to help you. Take everything and run with it. It’s ok to ask for help,” RJ said. “I didn’t like asking for help, but I needed to.”
His advice comes from their resiliency: “Keep on going, because if you just stop, you are giving up on yourself.”
RJ and Ashley are still working toward their dreams, including saving for a house. Their journey shows what can happen when hard work meets opportunity and a family is given the chance to succeed.
Congratulations to RJ and Ashley on receiving a Personal Achievement Award! Your determination, hard work, and commitment to your family are inspiring. Keep believing in yourselves, reaching for your goals, and building the future you dream of!