Melinda Redmond, with her children Rebbecca, 16, and Malachi, 14, was living in Shoreline but became homeless as she and her children fled a domestic violence situation. For a year she and the children lived in a series of shelters. All the while Redmond was working but only part time and at a wage that was so low she couldn’t pay rent. Now, thanks to the YWCA ‘s Landlord Liaison Project, Redmond was able to find a rental home in South Seattle, where she lives with her children and her 7 year old granddaughter Dekeyonna. Rebbecca and Malachi still attend school in the Shoreline district. They are cabbed to and from school, a trip that can take an hour each way. But both are “A” students. Rebbecca is learning Japanese and looks forward to traveling to Japan. Malachi is on the high school baseball team. When the kids return from school they immediately jump into doing their chores. Rebbecca cleans the bathrooms and does laundry. Malachi takes out the trash and puts away the dishes. Redmond works half time as a peer counselor for a mental health organization and is restarting a catering and food truck business she began before the family become homeless. Redmond has five other children who are older and living independently. Two are currently enrolled in college.
