Losing a job and apartment is the last thing any new mom wants to experience while being pregnant. Because of her pregnancy, Alexis was having trouble getting hired anywhere new and continued to bounce between different apartments, on the verge of being homeless. Alexis heard that Our House was the place to come if you need assistance and as a new mom at-risk of homelessness, Alexis enrolled in CAFSI, our family stability program. Alexis’s case manager, Rachel, was able to offer her the time and resources that Alexis didn’t have to look for a more permanent housing solution. Rachel connected Alexis to funding to assist with rental and utility payments, and she has now been in an apartment since October of last year. Rachel even got Alexis’ keys and brought her the new lease to sign while she was in the hospital to have her daughter!
In the CAFSI program, Alexis was able to prepare for motherhood by utilizing our mental health services and joining our Motherhood Together program with UAMS which helped with everything from finding a doctor to learning CPR to providing formula. Alexis also took virtual parenting classes and attended our Healthy Love classes in the Career Center each month. Alexis is looking to take classes at UALR to further her career as a paraprofessional, and she would love to teach ASL in the future! “Now that I have a child, I’ve realized I can’t just take the minimum wage job,” Alexis says, and her time in CAFSI has helped empower her to make confident choices that are the best for her family!