LANSING, Mich. — Holding on to faith is how Ashley Brownlee said she has been able to survive a life that hasn’t been easy.
“It’s been quite an adventure,” she said. “I have been on and off again homeless before my 7 years of stability. I was homeless for a total of about 10 years.”
Brownlee, a single mother of two, recently became homeless again after parting ways with her apartment. She said she and her daughter had no where to go until now.
A comfortable room with two queen size beds at Lansing’s Ramada Inn is where Ashley in her daughter are staying right now, she said it’s all thanks to the Homeless Hotel Program.
“People have the opportunity for direct helping and housing people and you could see their progress through the program,” Mike Karl said. “So they could give a donation for a room credit or they can apply to take advantage of the program.”
Karl is the president of Cardboard Profits. The program is collaborative effort between Cardboard Profits and the Ramada Inn. Karl said people taking advantage should expect to get more than just a room.
“This isn’t a vacation, that’s the number one thing about all of this,” he said. “This is direct help that will get them the resources they need to transition out of homelessness. Such as getting documented, getting an id, finding a job.”
And as for Brownlee, while she’s in the program, Karl said said they’ll be utilizing her to make sure things run smoothly.
“I am going to be helping others, taking their in take , doing head counts and making sure they know where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Brownlee said.
For more information on the Homeless Hotel Program, click here.
