Supportive Housing

In the winter of 2020, Miss Bloom, with the help of her therapist, decided it was time for her to focus on herself and her own journey. She searched for shelters that could offer her assistance. “I spent days and weeks just considering calling (Mission 25). I read every page on their website multiple times and examined every sentence thoroughly. And when I finally picked up the phone, I was met with such encouragement and love; I started the process,” she recalls.

On January 7, 2020, Miss bloom became Mission 25’s newest resident. “I recall being almost frozen with anxiety and shyness, but I knew I couldn’t turn back,” she says, “At first, I was terrified. Every day I woke up wondering what I was doing. (And thinking) I wasn’t meant to live a life like this. I was not worthy of the support system I was given, and I feared that everyone around me felt the same.”

Before coming to Mission 25, Miss Bloom had not had a job. Due to having muscular dystrophy, she didn’t even know if she could work. Mission 25 connected Miss bloom with Vocational Rehab, who assisted her in obtaining and finding the proper employment. It took some adjusting and finding the best employer for her. Walmart offered her a livable income and accommodated her physical needs. “I started to think maybe the world wasn’t against me. Maybe my journey is what I make it, “ she recalls.

At this point, Miss Bloom started to think that her time at Mission 25 was growing to and end, and she started to wonder what would be next for her. Last year, Mission 25 began a supportive housing program as the next step for some clients. Miss Bloom was one of the clients who entered this program. “I wasn’t sure how I felt about a longer program, but in supportive housing, living on my own but with the supports still in place, I feel this is where I truly flourished,” she reflects.

Interestingly, Miss bloom moved into her own apartment exactly one year after walking through the doors at Mission 25. “I thought it was a beautiful coincidence. And in that year, I’ve grown immensely. I’ve planted seeds, and finally, I was sprouting. I love my new place, and even more, I love being on my own,” she shares.

Through what Miss Bloom says was her largest leap of faith (yet), she has found that she can live on her own, have a job, advocate for herself and has a team of supporters behind her. After finding out she was approved for disability, “I was met with hugs and tears and congratulations from all the staff at Mission 25. What a day it was. After all the fighting, I had finally won.”

In 2023, Miss Bloom enters her second year in Mission 25 Supportive Housing, she has started the process of homeownership.