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focus, determination and a bit o' Luck

At 56, Lisa was counting her blessings–and a bit o’ her Irish luck–to be accepted in to the

Anacortes Family Center (AFC) housing and support services program. Within a few

weeks of applying, she and her 10-year-old Dachshund “Tater” moved in to a studio-

apartment in the Emergency Shelter. Right away Lisa began attending classes to help her regain

self-sufficiency.

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Approximately 45 days in to her 90-day temporary contract, a 1-bedroom apartment became available in one of AFC’s affordable housing complexes, Launch Apartments. “I couldn’t

believe my luck. I had applied to both temporary and permanent housing right as someone was leaving each facility,” she said. That, coupled with her make-it-happen enabled Lisa to transfer

her job at a local grocery chain from Mt. Vernon to Anacortes. With the support from AFC and Rachel, her case manager, Lisa is grateful and relieved. She now has a stable foundation to rebuild her life in Washington.

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BE RESOURCEFUL AND LEARN HOW TO ADAPT

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Lisa lived with her mom and grandparents in Bellingham until her early 30’s. “There was quite a bit of drama, so I learned how to adapt to various situations,” she said. To be independent, she focused on:

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  • Earning a high school diploma

  • Achieving 2 years of college at Western Washington University

  • Working as an Emergency Medical Technician firefighter

  • Working as a Corrections Officer for the Monroe Corrections Complex​

 

While attending college, Lisa became pregnant. She quit work and focused on raising two sons and a daughter. In 2018, she moved to Pensacola, Florida with her third husband. Five years later, “My husband decided to move out and stop paying the mortgage,” she said. “He’s refusing to sign the divorce paperwork and pay alimony.”

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RETURNING HOME

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Living with PTSD and on disability, Lisa’s “survival” skills kicked in. She returned to Burlington, Washington to temporarily stay in a friend’s trailer. Determined to rebuild her life, she got a part-time job and reached out to the Washington Housing Authority to apply for low-cost housing across multiple communities. Within a few weeks, she and her support dog were accepted into AFC.

 

Today, Lisa is smiling. She said, “I highly recommend AFC. You must put the work in to it, but it’s worth it. I’m not scared like when I first moved here. I can now get back on my own feet. I can finally breathe and not worry about what’s next. And I'm learning to ask for help."

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