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After Ms. Landon* lost her job due to an undiagnosed health condition, she and her family of five who were living paycheck-to-paycheck suffered an eviction. When she and her partner arrived at the Key Campus with their three children, the whole family had been living in their car for five long months.
Each night, mom and dad would sleep outside, keeping guard, while the three children slept in the car cramped, but safe from the elements. Each day, they’d ready the kids for school, and while Mr. Landon went to work, Ms. Landon sought the help she needed to manage her health condition. That journey brought her to the Key Campus, and into the Brian Garcia Welcome Center, where Keys to Change staff met her with compassion, care, and a wealth of resource connections.
Through the intake process, staff discovered that Ms. Landon and her family were strong candidates for diversion.
Diversion is the process of family reunification, coordinated by the Crisis Intervention team at Keys to Change. In Ms. Landon’s case, her sister April* agreed to house the whole family with her in California until they were back on their feet.
While permanent, affordable housing is the ultimate goal, diversion is a low-cost, low-barrier intervention that has a remarkable 85% success rate. That figure reinforces what we know to be true, that stability and dignity are catalysts for lasting change.
With diversion, once assessed, Keys to Change staff handle everything – communication with the receiving family, transportation costs such as Greyhound tickets and airfare, a change of clothes, snacks for the road, and ongoing support through follow-up appointments.
Tonight, the Landon kids can drift asleep in their own beds – surrounded by the warmth of family, knowing mom and dad have a place to rest, too.
*names changed for privacy
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