Lurden Corona is a Housing Policy Fellow with the Family Homelessness Coalition. She was in the shelter system for nearly three years from September 2015 to May 2018 with her child. While in shelter, Lurden’s now 10-year-old child developed behavioral issues with ADHD. She struggled to find the services to support him.

Employment was also difficult to find. As a single mom, the work of advocating for her son meant she had to frequently take time off of work to be at his school.

In addition to all of this, prior to going into the shelter system, Lurden had to go on welfare through HRA. None of this was easy on her.

“It hurt my pride, and I dealt with this for a long time and am still dealing with it,” Lurden says.

As an FHC Fellow, Lurden gets the opportunity to be part of a team of people that have shared her experience. Also, she now gets the opportunity to advocate for others who are now coping with the difficulty of navigating the shelter system.

“Being a part of a team that loves to help others just like do. It feels amazing to know that there are still good-hearted people that care about others.”