JACKSON, Mich. — Krystal Hendricks is a mother of four in Jackson who has experienced homelessness "countless times."
"The last incident, we were in HUD housing," Hendricks said. "When I had my daughter, I had three boys in one room and my daughter in my room, and that was a problem because there was an extra head in the household."
Hendricks said she had two choices: be evicted or leave on conditional terms. She left but didn't have anywhere to go.
"I didn't get into something else in time and ended up in a motel room," Hendricks said. "Not the best of situations. It's $400 a week."
Hendricks, her four children, her boyfriend and his daughter all stayed in the two-bed motel room for three months. Some nights, she would sleep in her car. It took a toll on her physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.
"Sometimes I'd have $58 left in my name for the week," Hendricks said. "Thank God for pantries. If it wasn't for them, I do not know how we would have survived through the holiday season, and thank you to the church that adopted my children for Christmas because if they wouldn't have, they wouldn't have got a thing, because I wasn't able to provide nothing. It was horrible."
While the pantries are extremely helpful, Hendricks thinks the city can do more—more shelters, more affordable housing, more consideration for families and a looser definition of what classifies a family as homeless. Hendricks and her family are in an apartment now, but she said she had to borrow $962 to get there. Unfortunately, her story isn't unique.
According to city documents, there are 40 households experiencing homelessness in Jackson. On Thursday, local community group Residents in Action partnered with the city of Jackson and nearly 40 other vendors to host a resource event for those residents and anyone in need at St. John's United Church of Christ.
"Residents leading the change, because there's power in the people," Co-Founder and Executive Director of Residents in Action Tashia Carter said.
There were tables of hats, shirts, socks, food and services like tax specialists, the Secretary of State's Office, the Social Security Administration and a health clinic.
The event started at 11 a.m., and by 3 p.m., Carter said they had more than 100 residents come through the doors. The event didn't end until 7 p.m.
There's more work to be done, but Carter said Residents in Action is just getting started.
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