He had never slept in a car before, and was frightened...

Six-year-old Devin held firmly to his father’s hand as they left their hotel room with clothes and blankets. He had never slept in a car before and was frightened. “Where are we going?”, Devin asked. Mr. Wright didn’t have an answer, but he was determined to keep his son safe and healthy.

After losing his job because of the pandemic, Mr. Wright had no income to continue paying for the hotel they lived in. The little income he received from Door Dashing was not enough to afford an apartment, and most of the money was used for gas and ice to keep his son’s medications cold. Devin had complex medical issues that required daily medication, which had to stay refrigerated. Mr. Wright made their Door Dash adventures fun for his son, but he knew this was unsustainable and not healthy for Devin.

After multiple failed attempts to find safe housing, Mr. Wright was barely getting by when he found hope through Dawning Family Services (DFS). Our team of case managers immediately stepped into action and moved he and his son into emergency bridge housing. While there, DFS assessed their situation, located permanent housing, and connected Mr. Wright with other resources to ensure safety and sustainability, and childcare to meet his son’s medical needs. Thanks to our dedicated team of case managers, they are now living in a safe, affordable home and Devin is receiving the education and medical care that he needs. Devin is doing very well and has made several new friends in school.

The humbling story of Mr. Wright and his son Devin is just one of many. Dawning Family Services is making the world a better place for Tampa's most vulnerable families, and with support and investments from you, we will continue our mission of embracing diverse families with children touched by housing instability or homelessness and support their transition to a safe and stable home. For more information visit dawningfamilyservices.org.