Live United Hero: Jessica Dahlquist

I can honestly say I never met anyone who experienced homelessness until I began working at the United Way. This fall I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica Dahlquist, a mother and client from one of our venture agencies Homes for Families, and while our time together was brief, her story will always stay with me.  

I worked with Jessica to prepare her to speak at United Way's annual real estate Industry breakfast, an event where close to 1,000 of the biggest names in the housing industry come together to raise money for the Housing First initiative. When I told Jessica the size of the audience she was a little scared, but mostly excited because she wanted so badly to share her story with these people so that they could have a better
understanding of what it's like to be homeless. She wanted to have an impact, and she wanted to make a difference. I am nominating Jessica because that courage and bravery makes her a true Live United Hero.

When Jessica was just 24 years old (the same age I am today) she was supporting her daughter by herself. She had a full time job and was able to make ends meet. She had an apartment, and her daughter was in day care. Unexpectedly, she got laid-off - and everything changed.

She was eligible for and began receiving unemployment benefits while she looked for another job; however, it was not enough to cover the rent, weekly child-care costs and other basic amenities.  Eventually she lost the apartment and quickly got into debt. 
Understanding the seriousness of the situation her family was in Jessica went to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) She was promptly denied, identified as being over income due to her unemployment benefits.  What she was receiving wasn't enough to survive on, but it was too excessive an amount for herself and her then three
year old daughter to be eligible for shelter.  Jessica was told to come back in four months when she was no longer eligible for unemployment assistance.

For the next four months Jessica took up residence on the streets of Boston. She would eat in day shelters, wash up in public bathrooms, and try to find a seat on the T in the early morning hours to sleep. Luckily, it was summertime and Jessica didn't have to worry about below zero temperatures.

Not wanting her three year old to experience life on the streets, Jessica was forced to pay a family friend who lived in a suburb north of Boston her entire unemployment check -- save for enough to get a T-Pass -- to care for her daughter.  They would be apart for weeks at a time keeping in contact through phone calls.  She was concerned that her daughter was emotionally and mentally suffering from this confusion.

The day her unemployment benefits ran out Jessica went back to the DTA with her daughter and was able to receive emergency assistance. She had to hit rock bottom before she could get help.

They lived in shelter for 2 years before receiving a Section 8 voucher via lottery. Jessica had applied for a voucher when she needed only minimal assistance as a working
parent, but had been denied because of a lack of Section 8 funding. By the time she was able to receive help she was being fully supported by the state.

Luckily for Jessica, during the 2 years she lived in shelter she started attending Homes for Families Public Policy training workshops. Getting
involved with Homes for Families Public Policy training empowered Jessica with the knowledge that her voice really could make a difference for her family as well others like them. It allowed her to regain the confidence she needed in order to reach her goals and become a more proactive member of the community.

Jessica's true character shines through in her ambitions for her future. She has gone back to school and is working towards a degree in Human Services. She wants to eventually work to help other women like her overcome similar situations, and ensure they don't have to become lost in the system. She is in the Honors Society, has been awarded multiple scholarships for her hard work, and most importantly is setting an example for her daughter. She beamed with pleasure when she told me how her daughter would watch her do her homework and say "I want to go to college like you, Mom."

The time I spent with Jessica was empowering. She was full of passion and drive and still got angry and upset when she shared all of her frustrations with me. I could see as I worked with her that retelling her story was not easy. Her eyes often welled up with tears, and she would have to take a break to re-collect her thoughts. The pain of her experience was still fresh, and I imagine, always will be. Jessica's willingness to put that aside in order to advocate for the issue shows a true commitment to change and that is what Living United is all about.