Annual Meeting Details
Patricia Chandler
Patricia Chandler, mother of three adult children and grandmother of six, became homeless in November 2006 after losing her job as a housekeeper in a downtown hotel due to a back injury. Her unemployment checks were never enough to cover her rent, food, car insurance and maintenance, and personal needs, and after her unemployment benefits expired, she lost everything. Patricia stayed with her children for a while, but she felt like she was a burden on them, and eventually she sought temporary housing in an emergency shelter. “Even though my children insisted that I stay with one of them, I knew in my heart it was time for me to get back on track and on with my life, because even though I am in my fifties, it wasn’t time for my children to start taking full care of me.”
Patricia found shelter at the Wheeler Mission Care Center. “Even though I was told by the intake worker that I could only stay for 30 days, I felt it would give me time to find a job, and not only that, I had a roof over my head, a clean bed to sleep in, a closet for my clothes, good healthy food three meals a day, and even a snack at 8:00 pm. I was also given some clothes and shoes. I’ll never forget the date I went into the shelter: August 7, 2007. On August 27, 2007, God blessed me with a job.” Patricia worked hard and was promoted quickly. And, she moved into the women’s working program, where she could live for six to nine months.
In January 2008, Patricia attended Indy Homeless Connect. There, she connected with Carol Jackson at Ada’s Place, a transitional housing facility for working single women with no children living with them, and she moved into Ada’s Place on February 20th. But it was more than just a place to live. “I didn’t realize that Carol Jackson had taken notice of me. Carol hired me in April of 2008 to be the Facility Manager for Ada’s Place. On June 2nd, 2008, I was hired in through Carol as an Assistant Resident at Quest Shelter W.I.N.G.S. I was blessed by God to fulfill my need to work with women and children.”
Today Patricia is thankful for her blessings. She works at a job she loves, helping other people, and she attends church regularly. She serves on the Advocacy Council and was just elected Chairwoman. She writes poetry and is currently writing a book that she hopes to publish this year. “My view of homelessness: it can happen to anyone. If you are homeless now or if you become homeless, I know now through my own experience, you don’t have to stay that way.”
