Nonprofits helping Storys with happy ending

What happened to Travis and Tricia Story could happen to anyone.

One day they were living comfortably in a house in Wisconsin on eight acres. The next thing they knew, they were scrambling to secure a spot for themselves and their kids in a homeless shelter.

Now, thanks to support from organizations like Monroe nonprofit Take the Next Step (TTNS) and Catholic Community Services, the family of seven is in the process of obtaining housing through Snohomish County’s Coordinated Entry Rapid Rehousing Program.

Originally from Snohomish County – Tricia from Monroe and Travis from Marysville – the two moved their family to Wisconsin in 2010 for a job opportunity. Things went well at first, but after suffering an on-the-job injury, Travis found himself unable to work, which resulted in them losing their home. Then a family of six, they stayed at a homeless shelter briefly before ending up at a hotel.

They returned to the Monroe area in March of 2015, seeking help from family members. Now a family of seven, the couple has made the inside of an RV their home.

They came across TTNS during the Monroe Fair Days Parade and decided to take that next step in seeking help.

TTNS is a Monroe-based nonprofit that serves low-income and homeless individuals from east Snohomish County. The goal of the organization is to extend support to its neighbors in need through various programs, including weekly community dinners, a drop-in center with sack lunches and internet access, job search training and afterschool programs.

“They’ve been so gracious to us,” Travis said. “Not to mention the sack lunches — those things are huge. They treat you like family around here, regardless of who you are.”

Families get hit with challenges and sometimes need extra help, said Community Outreach Coordinator Sarah Lunstrum.

“It can happen to any ordinary family,” Lunstrum said. “I don’t think that if you met them walking down the street that you would think that they’re living in their RV right now.”

Tricia said they were living the American dream in Wisconsin, with a four-bedroom home, multiple vehicles, trampoline in the back yard and space on the deck for barbecues. But after taking a serious fall at work, Travis sustained a head injury that resulted in pain and memory loss, plus acute anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

There was a delay in collecting his long-term disability, which caused them to fall behind in their bills and eventually lose their home.

Since returning to Monroe, the two have struggled to regain their footing, and have been taking things one day at a time. They have done their best to provide stability for their kids, Devin, 3; Zakkary, 12; Pearl, 10; Christian, 7, and 5-month-old Evelyn.

Travis, a musician, recovered from his injury enough to return to work this summer, and is currently working at MOD Pizza in Lake Stevens.

In addition to offering support and a warm place to be, the couple received transportation assistance from TTNS, which helped Travis get to work. They enrolled in the Snohomish County Coordinated Entry system, a central intake point that feeds out to all the different housing providers in the county.  Coordinated Entry prioritizes families based on need, which worked out favorably for the Story family.

“Two weeks after we entered Coordinated Entry, I got a phone call from them saying that we qualified for the Rapid Rehousing Program of Snohomish County,” Tricia said.

When they needed a space to sit down with Catholic Community Services to complete their intake interview, the meeting was held at TTNS.

It’s been a time of healing for Tricia and Travis, who have enjoyed relationships at the Monroe YMCA as they work on taking better care of themselves. It’s been a long road, Tricia said, but watching her husband overcome and start to succeed has been transformational. Because of his injury, he had become depressed and out of shape, which lowered his self-confidence and exacerbated his anxiety issues. He took up running at the Y, and it has made all the difference, Tricia said.

In his very first 5K event, he achieved second in his age division.   

“I’m so proud of him, because it’s really helped him to feel better about himself,” Tricia said.

Their gratitude to TTNS is endless, Travis said. He said it was like they reached out in the darkness and somebody reached back, guiding them in and offering care.

“Take the Next Step has really been there for us,” Tricia added.    

There are many ways to help support TTNS, including volunteering and monetary donations. Throughout the month of December, TTNS has anonymous donors ready to match all donations up to $30,000.

“So, if we can raise $30,000, we’ll have $60,000,” Lunstrum said. “It’s really, really exciting and very, very generous.”

TTNS’s annual Trace Bundy benefit concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at the Wagner Performing Arts Center. Called the “acoustic ninja,” Bundy is widely known for his skill on the guitar. The event will include a performance by local singer Kiana Kendall, with a portion of the proceeds going to support TTNS programs. 

For tickets to the Trace Bundy show, visit tracemonroewa.bpt.me. For more information about Take the Next Step, visit www.facebook.com/events/232478260516862/.