I sat across the table from the woman I’d been called in for. “Her name is Nikki,” my contact had told me over the phone. “She’s dealing with some tough times, not too dissimilar from you a year ago....
A Flood of Memories: Surrounded by Support During Times of Disaster
I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of rain pounding the roof and was glad Stan had fixed the leak last month. I looked to the clock on my nightstand, but its face was dark. “Stan,” I whispered. “I...
Counting the Days: A New Year, A New Home
It was a tradition. Every year at the end of December, I spent a few extra dollars for a new calendar. I’d pin it to our kitchen wall for the entire family to see. We marked birthdays, holidays, our work schedules—everything—on the...
Reflections on Gratitude and Humility: One Advocate’s Journey
We are often asked, “What’s a typical day like at The Cocoon?” We smile, unable to capture the complex experiences we have gained by responding, “There is no typical day, you never know what each day will bring.” There are days that the...
Tax Time: Keeping Your Full Refund
Even if you don’t own a calendar, you know when it’s tax season. From the do-it-yourself tax filing software commercials on television, to the sign-flipping mascots on street corners promoting seasonal pop-up shops. The “it’s tax time!” catchphrase echoes across the country...
Finding Tomorrow: The Long Road To Financial Freedom
I’ve always dreamed of owning my own home. Yet, each month, around the time my bills are due, I get the same trapped feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’ve been dealing with this anxiety since I was 18, when I...
Letters To Santa: Sorting Bills at the Kitchen Table
John sat in the dark at the kitchen table, staring down at the two stacks of papers in front of him. Winter was upon them and the heater was running. “For how much longer?” he wondered as he picked up the most...
Finding Freedom: Getting Connected to Legal Help
“Will you marry me?” He asked, as he knelt down on the brick path that surrounded the stone water fountain; my favorite spot in the botanical garden. “Yes, of course!” I proclaimed and wrapped my arms around his neck, and almost tackled him...
A Safe Home for Janie: A Mother’s Fight to Protect Her Daughter
“We were supposed to be safe there,” Melissa* whispered through tears. “Where could a child be safer than with her grandparents?” Though Melissa and her husband had divorced, she and her eight-year-old daughter Janie* were living with his parents; that is, until Melissa...
A Step Forward: One Man’s Pathway Toward Health and Housing
“I’ve tried everything and nothing works. I just don’t see things changing...” he boldly said to his case manager. Over the last few years, Anton* had been in and out of homeless shelters, struggling to cope with his mental illness. He often experienced...