Ryan and Andrew rebuild after the unthinkable

Ryan, a single father to his 10-year-old son, Andrew, reached out to Mary’s Place after a fire destroyed their home. Already navigating life after a recent breakup with his long-term partner, Ryan suddenly found himself supporting his family on a single income, while Andrew was coping with the loss of a mother figure he looked up to. Ryan worked hard to stretch his budget and keep life as stable as possible for his son, but the fire turned an already difficult situation into a crisis.

When Ryan first connected with Mary’s Place, he was doing everything he could to stay strong for Andrew—but he was overwhelmed and unsure where to turn next. The duo was bouncing between sleeping in their car and staying on friends’ couches, with no clear path toward stability. Between working full-time, getting Andrew to and from school, and making sure they were fed and safe, Ryan had little time or energy left to search for housing. He was in survival mode.

Our outreach team helped him create a plan for both immediate housing and long-term stability. Together, staff worked with Ryan to develop a realistic budget based on his single income and met with him and Andrew at the library to search for affordable housing options near Andrew’s school—so Andrew could remain connected to the routines and community that mattered to him.

Although Ryan was employed full-time and had insurance coverage, the aftermath of the fire left him unable to afford the upfront deposit and move-in costs required once he was approved for a new apartment. Thanks to the generosity of the Mary’s Place community, we were able to cover the move-in costs, giving Ryan and Andrew the chance to start again.

“Mary's Place has given me light at the end of this dark tunnel,” shares Ryan, “thank you for everything.”