Michelle Shea, a homeless, underemployed single mother of two with a debilitating health condition, believes in miracles. Now living at The Arbor at Woodbury, working at Wells Fargo, managing her health condition and encouraging both daughters to pursue their dreams through higher education, Michelle prayed “really hard” for the life she and her family have now.
“I feel like God was the one who helped me. He was the one who helped me stand up and work and take care of my kids. The whole journey is a miracle.”
The journey began when Michelle and her family legally immigrated to the United States from the Bahamas in 2000. Living in an unsafe area in California, Michelle had to care for her girls – Rebecca, 2½ years and Elizabeth, 15 months – alone when her husband left and did not pay child support.
Michelle and her daughters were living in motels and her car.
“We went from shelter to shelter, place to place. Thank God for The Arbor at Woodbury.”
Her journey to affordable housing entailed many challenges.
While working part-time at an office supply company, Michelle experienced pain throughout her body. She was diagnosed with scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and thickening in the skin and other areas of the body.
Her doctor told her she needed to go on disability; however, Michelle could not afford to support her family with the reduced disability income.
“I was in pain a lot every single day. My doctors wondered how it was that I was still working.”
Meanwhile, Michelle obtained her first driver’s license in the United States. Unlike the single lane roads in the Bahamas, California’s multi-lane roads were challenging for the driving novice. Consequently, Michelle was stopped by a police officer; he told her she was impeding traffic.
When Michelle went to court to resolve the issue, she told the judge she didn’t get the ticket in the mail because she was homeless. A Good Samaritan at the court overheard Michelle’s story; she offered to let Michelle and her daughters stay with her until they could obtain housing.
That evening Michelle and her family met the Good Samaritan’s father, a Santa Ana police officer, and his wife, a retired 911 operator. The couple offered their home to Michelle and her daughters.
“They fell in love with the girls.”
Michelle “got sicker by the day” and was hospitalized. The Good Samaritan’s parents took care of Michelle’s daughters for many weeks.
Michelle, who was praying at her church for a “really safe place” to live, targeted Irvine. A church member told her about Jamboree Housing Corporation apartments under construction. While applying for Jamboree’s affordable housing, Michelle found one room to rent for her family of three.
On the day that her landlord informed Michelle that she had to move because the house was sold, she received a call from The Arbor at Woodbury: affordable housing was in her near future.
“It was the right time. It was the right place.”
Michelle, who was so accustomed to sharing one room with her two daughters, applied for just one room at The Arbor.
“I thought that was all I could afford.”
Instead, a housing specialist at The Arbor counseled Michelle to apply for two rooms.
“She said, ‘You need one room for yourself and one room for your girls.’ It still brings tears to my eyes.”
Michelle and her daughters moved into a two-bedroom, one bathroom residence at The Arbor in November 2009.
“For my health, I had a bedroom that I didn’t have to share with the girls. I could nap while they were playing in their rooms. With my disease, I need a place where I could comfortably rest.”
Her girls not only were sharing their own room for the first time, they were living in a safe place.
“There was a playground where they could play. They could be kids.”
When Michelle and her family were homeless, “I didn’t feel good enough.”
Once she moved into The Arbor, “I could hardly believe that we were in such a beautiful area and such a safe place. I was treated just like everyone else. I felt like I was lifted up. Our self-esteem went up. My kids were able to feel like they were part of the community and not less than any of the other kids.”
The Arbor’s help extended from Michelle’s personal life to her professional life. Its then-property manager – whose boyfriend worked at Wells Fargo – encouraged Michelle to apply for a personal banker job. Soon after Michelle got the job, she became sick and had to be hospitalized.
Wells Fargo’s We Care Fund paid for most of the hospital bill.
“That made me feel great. I had only been with them for a few months.”
Michelle has been promoted twice at Wells Fargo: to business banking specialist and now to senior business banker.
Her children – like their mom – continue to thrive. Rebecca, who just finished her freshman year at UCLA, wants to pursue a law degree. Elizabeth, who just graduated from high school, wants to be a registered nurse; she plans to attend a university in California or Texas.
Michelle wants community leaders and investors to know they made a significant difference in her life; no longer homeless and hopeless, she’s now happy and healthy.
“I want to say thank you to the community leaders and investors for helping me and the girls to rise from the bottom to where we are now. Because of the donors we’re able to live in a safe place. My girls could go out and play.”
“There’s so much to be thankful for. Even though we’re just renting, this is the only stable place my daughters have known. They call it their home.”
“There are so many people benefiting from the kindness you give. I just remember where we were …” Michelle breaks into tears. “I’m so grateful. Thank you so much.”