Four years later, formerly homeless family thriving
Tanya Barkhausen and her two young sons had reached the end.
It was October 2011. They had just lost their home in the small town of Belgrade, Minn., where Tanya – then a divorced single mother – was continuing her lifelong career as a certified nursing assistant. She had been battling three debilitating afflictions: 1. Cancer. 2. Mental health issues. 3. A serious back injury she sustained in 2010.
“I’ve always been a walking health problem,” Tanya said.
Despite being close to winning her battle with cancer, collectively, the three infirmities had finally done Tanya in. She was physically unable to work, with no place left to sleep but her car.
“It was our first time being homeless,” said Tanya, 36, a St. Paul native who put herself through nursing school at age 19, and had been working continuously since age 12. “It was awful scary for all of us.”
The family spent two days living out of Tanya’s car. On the second day, Tanya connected with a Stearns County social worker who pointed her to the St. Cloud Salvation Army’s family transitional shelter (pictured).
After spending two months stabilizing at the shelter, Tanya and a Salvation Army social worker applied for Shelter Plus Care, a U.S. Department of Housing program offering permanent supportive housing for parents with a dual-diagnosis disability. Such families receive housing and case management through The Salvation Army and other qualified agencies. Across Minnesota, The Salvation Army manages about 40 housing units through Shelter Plus Care and similar programs.
One of those units is a townhome just north of the Twin Cities, in Monticello. It was the perfect fit for Tanya and her kids.
“We moved in the day before Christmas Eve,” Tanya recalled. “That was one incredible blessing for Christmas. I was overwhelmed with joy knowing my kids weren’t going to be in a shelter anymore. They’d have a permanent home.”
Forward motion
It’s been nearly four years since Tanya moved in, and she’s doing great with the continued support of The Salvation Army. She works part-time at Walmart. Her sons – Anthony, 16, and Dayton, 8 – are getting good grades. She remarried and has a daughter, Adilyn, a happy and healthy 2-year-old.
Tanya’s Salvation Army case manager, Jennifer Krebs (pictured below), is quick to point out that Salvation Army support services are still needed despite Tanya now being married.
“People still need support even if they are starting to move forward and earn more money,” said Jennifer, adding that rent is paid on a sliding scale based on income. “With the population that Shelter Plus Care serves, there comes a lot of barriers; supportive services are still needed in order to maintain housing even if they are paying full rent. We want people to be stable before they live completely on their own. We don’t want people to end up with another eviction or homeless episode.”
Jennifer has been helping Tanya’s family for the last two years.
“I can’t put into words how beneficial Jennifer is,” Tanya said. “She’s helped with gas when I’ve needed to get to appointments. She’s helped with food any time I’ve needed it. She’s helped with school supplies. She sent my kids to Salvation Army camp.”
Jennifer has also come through in times of crisis.
“Jennifer was there for me when I had to go to the emergency room – she came to the hospital and helped me with my daughter,” Tanya said.
Through Shelter Plus Care, Jennifer assists Tanya’s family and five others living in Salvation Army housing units.
“Tanya and her family mean so much,” Jennifer said. “They are a strong family that just needed a little help. The support The Salvation Army has given them has helped break down the barriers.”
Looking ahead, Tanya would like to obtain a degree in human services.
“That’s where my passion is – helping people,” she said. “Once life becomes more comfortable, I’d like to go back to school.”
Meanwhile, Tanya is content moving forward with the support of Jennifer and The Salvation Army, one step at a time.
Tanya’s son, Anthony, is fine with that as well. During the interview for this story, Anthony asked his mother: “Is it weird if I think Jennifer is a mom to me, too?”
Monthly Giving
As Tanya’s story illustrates, success doesn’t happen overnight. It requires time, effort, patience, and a whole lot of love.
With help from our monthly donors, The Salvation Army is able to provide long-term, sustained services to people like Tanya and her family.
Whatever you can offer, please consider making it an ongoing, monthly gift. Become a monthly giver.
Please join The Salvation Army by volunteering or making an ongoing, monthly donation to support your local community.