Nulf Family

Kim, a mother of three children, didn’t want to be the single mom that had to work two jobs, always had to say no, was too tired or too busy to be involved with the kids.  She did not want her kids to have to live in whatever low rent housing she could find. 

 Six years ago Kim responded to a CNH ad offering credit counseling, budgeting help, educational classes and assistance in purchasing a home.  At that time, she was earning minimal income and felt it was not the right time to buy a house.  She chose instead to go back to school and get a degree in nursing.  While struggling with college, trying to raise three kids alone and paying for day care, Kim took the financial management classes and worked on her credit score.  “I found these financial classes to be so very helpful in opening my eyes and making me an educated home buyer.  I used the formulas I had learned and decided that I could realistically afford a house about $15,000 less than what I had been approved for, so I used that number when I went house hunting,” stated Kim.

 Kim found her dream home in a rural setting that was in her price range.  There is plenty of room for her children to be outdoors playing, building forts, catching frogs and identifying deer tracks.  This is the childhood she dreamed of giving her children. 

Kim was very pleased with the contractors who performed the rehabilitation work on her  home, which was funded by Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis and Fremont Area Community Foundation.

 2006 was an excellent year for Kim.  She got a job at a great hospital, graduated from college with a 3.1 gpa, passed the state boards, is now a licensed RN and bought her first home.  Kim commented, “I was never patient with the whole process, I wanted to reach that finish line.  However, CNH stuck by me and held my hand.  When it all seemed so scary I knew I wasn’t alone, there was always someone I could ask for help.  Thank you so very much!”

Housing

Choice

Voucher

Success

 Collaboration Leads one Woman from Homelessness

CNH is sensitive to the needs of each client, as we never know at the onset what a client’s needs may be. The first communication to Housing Choice Voucher clients is via mail and unless the client indicates in writing that they may have a specific need due to a disability we are not typically aware of any special services that they may require. Terri Videan would be one such client.

It wasn’t until we received a telephone call from Terri with a TTY operator as an intermediary did we realize that Terri was deaf. Upon this discovery we realized that we would have to find a unique way to communicate with Terri. A “simple” phone call was out of the question since Terri didn’t have a phone and the TTY system proved to be awkward due to the lingo and terminology used in the HCV program. It was like speaking a foreign language to someone who couldn’t hear. CNH’s flexibility to adapt and make the program fit Terri’s needs would prove to be a successful endeavor for all involved.

 “In the beginning I actually had to sleep in my truck,” said Terri. “Finally I was lucky enough to stay with a friend until Sarah Polanyi, administrative assistant from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connection (DHHC) in Muskegon, told me she would help me find a place to live. Sarah worked hard to contact CNH and they were able to help me out.”

 Thanks to the DHHC in Muskegon, CNH was able to communicate more efficiently with Terri. Scott Peyton, executive director of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connection, facilitated CNH’s communications with Terri and simply helped put all the pieces together. Terri was able to communicate with landlords and quickly find a quality affordable home to rent with rental assistance from the Housing Choice Voucher.

 “I finally have a home to stay in with heat and electric. I have no idea how to say thanks to CNH. They have done so much for me to get a home where I can really sleep in my own bed with warmth,” said Terri. “I am relieved and happy and appreciate everything they have done for me. Thanks to CNH since there was such a communication barrier for me.”

 It has been a true pleasure for CNH to partner with the DHHC in order to help Terri. Building relationships with other non-profits in our communities enables us to extend our reach and touch the lives of those who may otherwise be passed over. DHHC is a non-profit agency, serving deaf and hard of hearing persons in West Michigan, in Muskegon, Ottawa, Oceana and Newaygo Counties. The agency provides a variety of services/programs including interpreter referrals, education, advocacy, kids' programming, job club, sign language classes, etc.

 “Being able to help people like Terri and seeing the look on their face is why we come to work every day,” said Peyton. “This is why we do what we do.”

  Hills Family

38 Elm St. is more than just a new home on the block in the Village of Hesperia. It is more than just 1100 square feet of living space. For Donny Hills, this is his answer to a dream come true.

Another Housing Choice Voucher Success!

  From Tragedy comes a new beginning

CNH Housing Choice Voucher program offers more than just rental assistance to families fallen on difficult times. After losing two of her daughters in a drowning accident in the Muskegon River on May 26, 2007, Doris Winburn and her children decided in December 2006 to relocate to Muskegon County to escape the terrible memories of that tragic event.  

It was in December that CNH received Doris’ case from Mecosta County’s Housing Choice Voucher agent and began processing her paperwork. In order to make the transition to Muskegon County Doris and two of her daughters stayed at the Muskegon Rescue Mission, while two of her sons had to live somewhere else. The death of her two daughters and a mental illness deemed Doris mentally incompetent of managing her responsibilities. Her family was separated, yet Doris was determined to keep moving forward and to reunite her family.  

Doris appeared to overcome every obstacle with ease; chasing down documents, getting signatures, and saving up enough money for a security deposit on a new rental unit. Her strong faith and determination would prove to be her vehicle for reuniting her family and obtaining a safe and affordable home for them.  

CNH’s Housing Choice Voucher Program allowed Doris the opportunity to create a fresh start for her and her family in Muskegon County. “NCCS gave me lots of comfort and hope,” said Doris. “The staff at NCCS goes beyond the call of duty and saves the lives of people like myself who have lived in bondage of fear, feeling inadequate and believing they can’t make it. Now that we have a nice place to stay my kids’ grades in school have come up and I will be starting college in May. The examples of seeing how effective NCCS (is) has inspired us to believe and to apply positive teaching in our lives.”

 Doris says, “I would like to thank NCCS and staff for their hard work. We know it comes from their heart and it has given us life.” It has been our pleasure at CNH to work with Doris and her family and to be able to provide the means to bring her family together and build a bright future. It’s people like Doris who are deserving of the financial assistance the Housing Choice Voucher program provides and appreciative of the quality of service we offer.