KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, HastingsHard-hit for the Holidays: The Stratton's

Hard-hit for the Holidays: The Stratton's

By Annie Andrews, aandrews@nebraska.tv

You see them while you're driving, eating and even picking up your kids from school, they often go unnoticed and sometimes forgotten – they are our communities' homeless population.

"When you can't pay those bills most of the time you won't have a place to stay," said Kristi Stratton, explaining how she wound up homeless. Her apartment was gone, money was gone, food was gone, and the only thing she had left was a car.

"We were staying in a car for about two-and-a-half weeks and we stayed at the north Wal-Mart parking lot," she said. Stratton was stuck in a car with her 7-year-old daughter and terrified. "Someone coming out and saying you can't stay here or police knocking on the door and taking her."

It was rock bottom, but hope remained and it brought them both to Hope Harbor.

"It takes a lot of guts to walk through the door and say I need help," said Amanda Groff, director of services at Grand Island's Hope Harbor.  Hope Harbor is a 56 bed shelter for women and children, it revolves around a five step program to get individuals back on their feet.

 "A lot of fear and pride needs to be swallowed in order to come and ask for that," said Groff.

The Stratton's story is not unique. There are 146 people staying in shelter on any given day in Grand Island, 3.5 million across the country fight for those beds and nearly one-third are kids.

"There's really no stereotypical homeless person or family anymore it can happen to anybody and it happens so quickly that you never know," said Groff.

Many of the families at Hope Harbor are first timers, losing a job or in some cases two, others are trying to find sobriety. For Kristi Stratton, it was the former.

"[I] never did drugs or alcohol, but with the economy the way it is paying bills isn't very easy," she said.

Hope Harbor has her on the right track,  she works with other residents, staff and does chores, while searching for full time work and a home.

"I'm honored," she said. "It sounds silly for a homeless person to be honored, but I am to be part of that program."

Although this is not where she wants to be forever, she said she won't give up hope. "I'm done quitting," adding her daughter is what keeps her going.