Brandye entered the CAFSI program in 2019 with her two daughters Ja’Naya and Mikhia when she was homeless and living with her mother. Brandye had lost her job and consequently her housing, and was struggling with her mental health. After enrolling in the program, Brandye was able to connect with a counselor through our referral partners and then worked with our Career Center to find employment. Once Brandye was employed, she was able to work towards paying off an old utility bill and, through a referral from her CAFSI case manager, was able to qualify for a Rapid Rehousing program to find housing that fit her budget and family size. After becoming employed, moving into her own housing, and her eldest daughter starting high school and the ROTC program, Brandye’s family was experiencing stability and thriving for the first time in many years.
Through the CAFSI program, Brittany was able to be employed, pay off debts, find safe and affordable housing, and support her children to continue their education. Shortly after reaching this point, and as Brandye and her case manager were working on their exit plan, Brandye discovered that she was pregnant. After some initial testing, Brandye discovered that her baby had screened positive for Down syndrome and would very likely be born with the syndrome. Brandye took the news in stride, and as a part of her continuation plan with the program, Brandye connected with a support network for expectant mothers and a midwife who was familiar with Down syndrome. Also during her pregnancy, Brandye and her case manager worked on a plan to save money and pay up her bills, so if she needed to take longer off for maternity leave, she would be able to do so. Additionally, she connected with the social security specialist at the hospital to start any necessary paperwork after the baby was born. Brandye gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Chase who has Down syndrome but without any birth defects that could impact his development.
In the time since his birth, Brandye gained skills and experience through the Job Training program at Our House and has since gained employment as a patient care technician in a hospital. Her daughters are still thriving in school despite virtual learning due to the pandemic, and they are both in love with their baby brother. Brandye has also enrolled her son in a school that specializes in early childhood development for children with special needs, and her son Chase is thriving in care. Brandye and her kids recently graduated from the CAFSI program, and as a Senior Member of CAFSI, Brandye donates Chase’s gently used baby clothes and toys and refers any other families in need to the program too! We are so proud of the hard work and resilience Brandye has shown as a mother and member of the CAFSI program, and wish her and her family nothing but the best!
