Home Sweet Home: Newhouse Staff Shine a Light
Stories
Sean shines a Light on a client success story
I’m Sean, and I serve as the Continuum of Care (CoC) Housing Advocate at Newhouse. One of the first clients I met when I assumed this role was a client already in our CoC rapid rehousing program who had suffered a traumatic brain injury due to her abuser and was living on a very limited SSDI income. On top of that, she was nearly agoraphobic—terrified of leaving her apartment, terrified of change, and deeply worried about what would happen when her CoC rapid rehousing benefits ran out. Without long-term housing support, she knew she wouldn’t be able to afford rent.
She was stuck on the waiting list for the Housing Authority, and as her CoC benefits neared their end, the fear of homelessness weighed heavily on her. She had just welcomed a new grandchild into the world and told me, “I can’t be the homeless grandmother.”
Then, in late April—during her birthday week, no less—she received a letter from the Housing Authority inviting her to come in for voucher screening. The timing felt like a blessing, but the anxiety was still overwhelming. I promised her: “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
On the day of the appointment, I picked her up and drove her to the screening. She was excited but nervous, carrying both hope and fear. All went well at the screening, but we were still nervous about the timing of receiving the voucher as her lease’s end was fast approaching. In what felt like a miracle, her Housing Choice Voucher came through on the very last day of her lease—just in time. That moment marked a smooth transition from CoC to the Housing Authority’s long-term program, ensuring she could stay in her apartment and finally feel secure.
That voucher changed everything. Not only can she now use her disability and SSI benefits for daily needs instead of worrying about rent, but she also gets to remain in the home she’s emotionally attached to—the place where she feels safest.
We’ve been able to support her in other meaningful ways too. She received a new bed and household goods from Newhouse. Before Thanksgiving, we even brought her (with other clients) grocery shopping at Hy-Vee, where she had the chance to shop alongside Kansas City Chiefs player Justin Reid and his foundation. Experiences like that remind her she’s not alone and that the community stands with her.
Her growth has been incredible. Because her trauma stemmed from an attack on public transportation, even leaving her apartment was once a monumental challenge. Now, she’s more comfortable going out—to the store, to appointments—and freer to focus on her mental health.
The bond we’ve built is special. She even told me, “You’re like one of my kids now,” and she doesn’t want to stop working together. At a couple of our appointments, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her family, and once she surprised me with homemade brownies!
For me, this journey has been about more than housing—it’s been about watching someone reclaim her sense of safety, dignity, and independence. She has overcome so many obstacles, and today, she is no longer defined by fear, but by resilience.
