Faces of the Recession
PAGE 2
While visiting a school for homeless children, Lisa meets a 36-year-old mother of three. Favor and her children, Breeanne, Noah and Hannah, have been homeless since January 2009.
When Favor and her husband lost their jobs and could no longer keep up with their rising adjustable mortgage payments, she says they were forced to sell their condo and move into a rented one. Eventually, the couple ran out of money. Favor's husband moved in with friends, but Favor and their children split their time between two homeless shelters.
During the day, they stay at a shelter for women and children called Loaves & Fishes. At night, they sleep at the city's homeless shelter. On weekends, when the daytime shelter is closed, the family is forced to wander the streets. The transition has been hard for the entire family.
"I'm scared that I'm never going to find a home," says 9-year-old Hannah. "I'm going to live on the street."
The day Lisa spends with Favor's family is the day before Noah's 11th birthday. He got a Nintendo Wii for his 10th birthday, but this year, his wish list is very simple. "A cake and a lot of love would make it good," he says.
Lisa says Favor and her children got some good news a month after losing their home. "Her husband just got a job yesterday as a janitor in a bowling alley, but he said it's something," Lisa says. "It's something to pay some bills."
When Favor and her husband lost their jobs and could no longer keep up with their rising adjustable mortgage payments, she says they were forced to sell their condo and move into a rented one. Eventually, the couple ran out of money. Favor's husband moved in with friends, but Favor and their children split their time between two homeless shelters.
During the day, they stay at a shelter for women and children called Loaves & Fishes. At night, they sleep at the city's homeless shelter. On weekends, when the daytime shelter is closed, the family is forced to wander the streets. The transition has been hard for the entire family.
"I'm scared that I'm never going to find a home," says 9-year-old Hannah. "I'm going to live on the street."
The day Lisa spends with Favor's family is the day before Noah's 11th birthday. He got a Nintendo Wii for his 10th birthday, but this year, his wish list is very simple. "A cake and a lot of love would make it good," he says.
Lisa says Favor and her children got some good news a month after losing their home. "Her husband just got a job yesterday as a janitor in a bowling alley, but he said it's something," Lisa says. "It's something to pay some bills."
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