Meet Laniece J.
When Laniece J., her two young sons, and her newborn baby were evicted, they faced an all-too familiar journey for families experiencing homelessness.
Two weeks into her new job, Laniece finally found an apartment with the help of Win’s specialists. Laniece says she is grateful every day for finally having a place she and her children can call home.
When Laniece J., her two young sons, and her newborn baby were evicted, they faced an all-too familiar journey for families experiencing homelessness. They went to NYC’s homeless intake center in the Bronx, known as PATH (Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing). Initially, PATH placed them in a hotel in East New York for eight months, where they lived without basic amenities like a refrigerator or stove. Despite applying for many affordable housing lotteries, Laniece never received any responses.
Eventually, Laniece and her children were relocated to a nearby Win shelter. The difference in care and support was remarkable.
“When I got there, it was like ‘Oh my God — home,'” Laniece says. “I had a stove to cook for my kids, I had a real fridge to put stuff in.”
Win provided housing specialists, child care, after-school programs, caseworkers, a food pantry, and various support services. Her housing specialist helped her enroll in CityFHEPS, a rental supplement program. A Win job specialist assisted Laniece in securing her current job at Burlington Coat Factory. Two weeks into her new job, Laniece found an apartment with Win’s help.
She is grateful every day for finally having a place she and her children can call home.
Meet Keyana
Seven years ago, Keyana and her mom arrived at a Win residence. The two had been evicted from their apartment and had nowhere else to turn.
With nowhere else to go they went back to PATH and were placed in a Win shelter, which as Keyana explains, gave them a new lease on life.
Seven years ago, Keyana and her mom arrived at a Win residence after being evicted from their apartment. It wasn’t their first experience with homelessness; as a child, Keyana had lived with her physically abusive biological father.
When PATH placed them in a Win shelter, Keyana says they got a new lease on life. She found a supportive community there. In less than a year, they moved out of the shelter, with Win helping them find permanent housing. Keyana has continued to thrive, recently graduating from high school and looking forward to starting college in the fall.
Meet Jocelyn
Jocelyn and her two young children arrived at Win's East Harlem shelter after escaping domestic abuse. At the time, she was seven months pregnant and working 60-hour weeks to make ends meet.
Jocelyn received mental health support and took financial literacy classes—services that Win offers at all its shelters.
Jocelyn and her two young children arrived at Win’s East Harlem shelter after escaping domestic abuse. She was seven months pregnant and working 60-hour weeks to make ends meet. Like many others, Jocelyn had been in and out of shelters for nine years.
At Win, Jocelyn felt comfortable and protected for the first time. She received mental health support and took financial literacy classes, services offered at all Win shelters. After giving birth to her third child, Jocelyn struggled with postpartum depression. Win’s staff helped her seek treatment, with her social worker providing counseling and enrolling her in a Mommy and Me group for support. While getting back on her feet, her two oldest children attended Win’s after-school program.
As Jocelyn recovered, she worked with Win’s income building specialists to find steady employment. Through a Win training partnership, she secured a union job. Win’s on-site childcare allowed her to work while her youngest was cared for. Now, Jocelyn is looking forward to a brighter future and working with her Win housing specialist to find an apartment for her family.