When Jamie* and her 10-year-old daughter came to the United States, they did not intend to stay; they were only visiting. Jamie had promised her daughter that they would visit the United States when she turned 10. During their visit, however, political unrest erupted back in their home country. Jamie and her daughter were forced to stay in the United States. They stayed with Jamie's friends until they were asked to leave due to lease violations. At 50, Jamie became homeless. Back home, she had been a lawyer. Now, she needed to start over.

Jamie and her daughter were referred to Doorways' Family Home, an emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness. Doorways' client services staff began working with Jamie, who wanted to work from home due to her fear of being seen in the community; she was very outspoken against her country's laws and felt the government was looking for her and her daughter. Jamie's Client Services Counselor referred her to the employment center and began working with her to locate work-from-home employment.

Unfamiliar with the credit system in the United States, Jamie did not know how to manage her credit here, or to budget properly in this context. One of Doorways' Financial Counselors worked with Jamie to teach her how to manage her finances here. Jamie had some difficulty understanding United States currency, but she was determined to keep working with the Financial Counselor to learn. Meanwhile, one of Doorways' Children's Counselors met Jamie's daughter to ensure that she was adjusting to life here, and enrolled her in school.

Jamie was referred to rapid rehousing through Doorways' HomeStart Supportive Housing Program and accepted. Jamie and her Client Services Counselor worked together to locate an affordable housing unit. Jamie and her daughter moved into their own housing after spending two months at the Family Home, well on their way in their fresh start in the United States.

*To protect client safety and confidentiality, images used are stock photos, featuring models, for illustrative purposes only. Names and identifying information are changed to as well.

"After falling throughout 2020, average apartment rents in the D.C. area have risen for four straight months, though they remain well below year-ago levels."

"Arlington County, Virginia, remains the most expensive apartment rental market, with an average monthly rent of $2,144. Arlington County rents are still 9.7% lower than a year ago, but rents have bounced back the most, rising by 2.7% over the past month."

"Preventing and ending sexual violence requires societal change, and much of that change is attitudinal. If we want to assess and respond to the root causes of sexual violence, we have to start with widely-held, cultural beliefs.

Of all of the beliefs that reinforce violence, victim-blaming, or the assumption that survivors of assault are somehow at fault for their own abuse, is among the most damaging."

The Pet Train LLC is supporting Doorways this year and is raising funds through a pet collage on their website thepettrain.org/gallery.

How does it work? Just upload your pet's photo! Then, The Pet Train's corporate sponsors will match each pet portrait with a predetermined monetary value. The total will be donated by Thanksgiving 2021 to Doorways.

The Pet Train left the station on April 15 and will return to the station on November 15, 2021 (figuratively speaking). We plan to celebrate with a big party! Don't delay and please support The Pet Train by uploading your pet’s photo at thepettrain.org/hopon. It is a beautiful gallery of happy pet smiles so far but The Pet Train needs your help!