“I don’t think anyone knew until I wrote the newspaper article for my school.” As a child, Ashley Danielson was homeless with her family, bouncing from staying in motels to doubling up with relatives to living in the family car. As a result, going to school took up to 13 hours a day. Ashley talks about her struggles to stay in school with her former case manager from Cocoon House, Marty Shaw, the “go-to” person who helped her get a job and keep high school graduation in her sights.  

Ashley recorded her story as part of the StoryCorps "Finding Our Way: Puget Sound Stories About Family Homelessness" project. “Finding Our Way” brought families who have experienced homelessness to tell their stories in their own words by sharing 40 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with a friend or a loved one. In addition to recording stories with families touched directly by homelessness in three counties -- King, Pierce and Snohomish -- the collection also contains reflections from advocates and service providers. StoryCorps recorded the stories in 2014 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in partnership with Seattle University, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish, and Catholic Community Services of Western Washington. 

This story was recorded in August 2014 in Lynnwood, Wash., at YWCA Family Village Lynnwood. It was produced by Tiana Quitugua of Seattle University, and facilitated by Mayra Sierra of StoryCorps.

“Finding Our Way” stories are hosted by Firesteel at http://firesteelwa.org/storycorps. StoryCorps' mission is to provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives. Learn more at http://storycorps.org. 

This track features the song "Reverie" by _ghost (http://dig.ccmixter.org/people/_ghost) under a Creative Commons license.

"I Know I'm on the Right Path": Student Graduates Despite Homelessness

“I’m so glad I’ve been given a second chance and I have the ability to love now.” Maizy Brown’s childhood fantasies about a loving family life didn’t square with her reality of repeated physical and sexual abuse. After bouncing from parent to relative to foster care and back, modeling the substance abuse that surrounded her, she ran away and lived on the streets as a teen. Eventually she connected with a life-changing program that helped her get on the path to recovery. Having come full circle to a career helping young people with backgrounds like hers, Maizy tells her story to her friend Kimberly Morgan. 

Maizy recorded her story as part of the StoryCorps "Finding Our Way: Puget Sound Stories About Family Homelessness" project. “Finding Our Way” brought families who have experienced homelessness to tell their stories in their own words by sharing 40 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with a friend or a loved one. In addition to recording stories with families touched directly by homelessness in three counties -- King, Pierce and Snohomish -- the collection also contains reflections from advocates and service providers.  StoryCorps recorded the stories in 2014 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in partnership with Seattle University, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish, and Catholic Community Services of Western Washington.

This story was recorded in August 2014 in Lynnwood, Wash., at YWCA Family Village Lynnwood. It was facilitated by Mayra Sierra of StoryCorps, and produced by Tiana Quitugua of Seattle University.

“Finding Our Way” stories are hosted by Firesteel at http://firesteelwa.org/storycorps.

StoryCorps' mission is to provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives. Learn more at http://storycorps.org.

This track features the song "Reverie" by _ghost (dig.ccmixter.org/people/_ghost) under a Creative Commons license.

Survivor of Child Abuse and Homelessness Now Helps Youth

"One of the reasons I joined the swim team was because we had morning practices, so it gave me a reason to get to school early, so I could take a shower." Poppi Handy spent her childhood without a stable home, and cared for her siblings while her parents abused drugs. School was an escape for Poppi, who thrived in the classroom and extracurricular activities. Now an architect, Poppi tells her husband Brent Chastain about her work building communities that give families opportunities to thrive.

Poppi recorded her story as part of the StoryCorps "Finding Our Way: Puget Sound Stories About Family Homelessness" project. “Finding Our Way” brought families who have experienced homelessness to tell their stories in their own words by sharing 40 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with a friend or a loved one. In addition to recording stories with families touched directly by homelessness in three counties -- King, Pierce and Snohomish -- the collection also contains reflections from advocates and service providers. StoryCorps recorded the stories in 2014 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in partnership with Seattle University, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish, and Catholic Community Services of Western Washington.

This story was recorded in August 2014 at YWCA Opportunity Place in Seattle. It was facilitated by Daniel Sitts of StoryCorps, and produced by Gemma Amos and Denise Miller for Firesteel.

“Finding Our Way” stories are hosted by Firesteel at firesteelwa.org/storycorps.

StoryCorps' mission is to provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives. Learn more at storycorps.org.

This track uses the song "Reverie" by _ghost (dig.ccmixter.org/people/_ghost) under a Creative Commons license.

Once Unstably Housed, Now an Architect of Inclusive Communities

“I could easily just have continued living on the streets or being in the foster care system if it wasn’t for them.” At the age of four, Ben Kastenbaum was homeless in Las Vegas with his family. When police discovered Ben and his older brother wandering in a casino, they detained the children and took them to an institution; there, the kids waited in vain for their mother to come and get them. Then one day a man with a “cool red car” came to visit. That man turned out to be the mother’s cousin Ray, who with his wife, Lori, arranged to adopt the boys and give them the home they’d never had. Ben tells his story to Catherine Hinrichsen from Seattle University; it was recorded as part of the StoryCorps "Finding Our Way: Puget Sound Stories About Family Homelessness" project.

“Finding Our Way” brought families who have experienced homelessness to tell their stories in their own words by sharing 40 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with a friend or a loved one. In addition to recording stories with families touched directly by homelessness in three counties -- King, Pierce and Snohomish -- the collection also contains reflections from advocates and service providers.  StoryCorps recorded the stories in 2014 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in partnership with Seattle University, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish, and Catholic Community Services of Western Washington.

This story was recorded in July 2014 in Tacoma, Wash., at Catholic Community Services of Western Washington. It was produced by Tiana Quitugua of Seattle University, and facilitated by Anna Berlanga of StoryCorps.

“Finding Our Way” stories are hosted by Firesteel at http://firesteelwa.org/storycorps.

StoryCorps' mission is to provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives. Learn more at http://storycorps.org.

This track features the song "Reverie" by _ghost (dig.ccmixter.org/people/_ghost) under a Creative Commons license.

"They Had No Obligation to Take Me In"

Executive Director of Snohomish Co. Programs Mary Anne Dillon talks to KSER about Homeward House Collaborative, a community program that reunifies mothers recovering from chemical reliance with their families.

Community Life with Mary Ellen 03-26-18

Firesteel is a network of Washington YWCAs committed to ending homelessness through innovative advocacy. Spark change. End homelessness.

Firesteel

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