Katharine* had been using the Code Blue Program for winter services off and on for several years. At 35 years old, Katharine has spent nearly one third of her life, living mostly outdoors, as a person experiencing homelessness. Because of her situation, including mental health issues she refused to address due to pride as well as untreated medical issues, Katharine struggled to trust individuals, programs, and systems. Because our Code Blue Program did not have many of the barriers individuals sometimes experience, she felt comfortable here. This allowed us to develop a trusting relationship and help her access additional services. 

Today, Katharine is working closely with our staff to accomplish goals she never saw herself being able to achieve. Through a partnership with Phoenixville Hospital, we were able to gently guide her towards getting a mental health diagnosis and treatment. We've assisted her with acquiring health insurance, finding doctors, and helping her schedule appointments to treat her medical issues. Now enrolled in our GED program, she is gaining the tools she needs to manage her learning disabilities. She's working hard to learn to read and spell so she can obtain employment which, up to this point, has had very limited options for her. We've also worked with a partner non-profit which has offered her housing when she is comfortable and ready to move forward.