Rosalyn became homeless over a year and a half ago when her live-in boyfriend and father of her children, David, stopped paying their rent due to a drug habit that was spiraling out of control. Not realizing how desperate David's situation had become, she took him and her children to the Emergency Assistance Unit (EAU), requesting shelter from New York City. "The first night we had to sleep there on a bench. I got sick. I was pregnant. The next day they put us in, I don't know, some shelter. We took a school bus somewhere, and it was so cold in that room, they didn't give us enough blankets. It was horrible. I wouldn't want to go through that again"

After the nightmare of being processed and sifted through the system, Rosalyn and her family were placed in a Tier II family shelter. There began the seemingly endless wait for permanent housing, the struggle for public assistance, and the work to get back on her feet. It was at this time that David's addiction turned violent. Not only was he doing drugs in the shelter, he also made it a practice of returning items for cash bought specifically for their daughter. David was also physically abusive. Rosalyn quietly speaks of the abuse, "We started fighting and he got so upset with me. He was like 'you don't understand' and he grabbed my throat, right in from of my daughter He went to grab me and then my daughter was screaming and that's when let me go Another time we were fighting. He pushed me and broke my ankle It was so bad." Knowing that this was not a healthy environment for her children or herself, Rosalyn wanted to have David removed from the shelter. This is where Care for the Homeless intervened and started advocating for Rosalyn and her children's rights. Her Care for the Homeless Intensive Case Manager, Jessica, recollects the situation. "There was a domestic violence incident, and [Rosalyn] had told shelter case management staff about it. They didn't really understand what her issues were, and they hadn't done anything. At one point Rosalyn came to me, and she was really afraid of her boyfriend, so I had security call the police." David was evicted.

With David gone, Rosalyn's personal life has begun to maintain some semblance of normality. "Everybody's been like 'I see the difference in you.' I see the difference too. I know everyone sees it - the neighbors even thought I moved, it was so quiet afterwards." But there was a snag, David was included on Rosalyn's original application for permanent housing. With him gone, she had to reapply for housing permanent housing, beginning the process all over again. Rosalyn laments, "I had problems removing my baby's father from this place, it took me four months, and that's why I'm still here."

Rosalyn's days are now filled with endless errands. In addition to being the mother of an infant and a toddler, she accomplish a tremendous array of daily demands, mostly from her service plan with the shelter. Rosalyn typically has little time to breath. Today she must to go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for her infant son who is sick. She prays that his Medicaid will work. "They gave me a number, but didn't send me a card." If she can't get the prescription she will spend the remainder of the day jumping through hoops, finding loopholes ‹ anything to get her son's medication.

Throughout the various difficulties in her life, Care for the Homeless has been with Rosalyn helping her along the way. Jessica continually acts as Rosalyn's advocate. Before David was evicted from the shelter he had thrown out all of Rosalyn and her children's clothing. "We actually got her some money and went shopping with her, and we got her some clothes for the kids and some clothes for herself. With her, it's a lot of case management." While Care for the Homeless is there to help, Rosalyn is not looking for a handout. Jessica says, "She's a really strong individual. It took her a while to get out of this relationship with her partner, but she's dead-set on not ever going back with him, and I really do believe that she doesn't need or want him. That guy was stalking her when she tried to separate from him the first time, she was concerned he would come back to the shelter, which he did, but then we also ensured that she had an order of protection." Care for the Homeless has also stepped up to help Rosalyn take care of her family as well. "Rosalyn's 3 year-old daughter started acting out." So Jessica got her into counseling and at a day-care program. "I think our program has really helped her more than other case management programs have. Rosalyn has said that to me several times, how helpful and necessary the more concrete services are. It's not just like you sign a service plan, and [the shelter asks] 'when are you moving out?' She really needed help and understanding, especially with the issues with her partner and the domestic violence." With the help and understanding of Care for the Homeless, Rosalyn was able to push forward even during those times when life seemed to have come to an impasse, when the foreseeable future seemed to hold no solution.

Somehow, throughout the maze of obtaining benefits, and battling systems that seem to stigmatize everyone as undeserving, Rosalyn manages to keep an upbeat attitude and a real sense of compassion for others. "This morning a woman knocked on my door, 'Do you have any milk for my baby?' And I'm not the type person who would say no. If I have any money I'll be helping people, because I know how it is. I'm not selfish." As far as society opinion that homeless people are lazy or that their needs are insatiable, Rosalyn doesn't waste her energy and time thinking about it. Instead she believes in her own hard work and the example she is setting for her children.

See other stories at "Homeless Voices."