06/01/2026
👉 Everyone’s journey through one of our shelters looks completely different. Some face large barriers that others do not, some leave and run into more barriers…
…Then there are moments when everything changes. This is Vicky’s* story:
When she arrived at Pillars Adult Shelter, she was scared and overwhelmed. Vicky worked with our case management team to work on goals and made huge strides. But due to the historic housing shortage, there was still nowhere for her to go.
Our case manager, Cassie*, helped Vicky secure a place in our Single Room Occupancy program, where she could begin building rental history and take steps toward stability. But it still took more than a year before Vicky was approved for a place of her own.
⌛For that year, Vicky waited, wondering if she would ever have a home again. Then, finally, Cassie helped her carry boxes into her new apartment!
Today, 18 months later, Vicky is still there. She is self-sufficient, stable, and no longer reliant on shelter. That kind of transformation is possible because someone cared enough to keep showing up for her.
While we can never put a price on human dignity, I can tell you that providing Vicky with services cost Pillars upwards of $7,000. And we serve hundreds of people like her each year.
➡ Changing a life like Vicky’s only takes a moment. When you give by July 4, your contribution could help us unlock a $50,000 match from a generous donor. Please make your gift online: https://pillarsinc.org/give/
*While the people in this story are real, their names have been changed to protect their identities.
