Women – Streets of Delaware

President of Women's City Club, Laurie Lendon, works to ensure that no woman goes homeless in Delaware. — President of Women’s City Club, Laurie Lendon, works to ensure that no woman goes homeless in Delaware.

Single women in the city of Delaware who become homeless are left with two options for aid and shelter: the Women’s City Club or Family Promise (which contrary to its name, does accept single women from time to time for temporary housing).

Over the last sixty years, the Women’s City Club has provided more than 1,000 women with safe and affordable transitional housing. Some women stay only a few months, while others stay for years.

“Women can stay as long as they want or need to,” said Lendon.

Lendon has been working for the Women’s City Club since 2007.

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Trish, who asked that her last name remain private, is the residential coordinator for the club. She understands homeless women because once she lived on the streets as well. (She tells her story in the “Stories” tab).

Trish helps with the Women’s City Club now but she understands the need for support since she was once homeless herself. — Trish is now the residential coordinator for the Women’s City Club but was once homeless herself.

The club received many calls from hospitals and nursing homes in 2014.

“Nursing homes, when the insurance companies don’t pay, they’re just tossing people out on the streets,” Trish said.

The only requirements to live in the home are that you are a woman and are employed, Lendon said. There is also no age requirement. “We’ve had a high school student here, we’ve had [elderly]… you know as long as you can get up and down the stairs, that’s pretty much the only requirement,” Lendon said.

This is one of the kitchens in the home that the women share

In spring 2015, all ten rooms in the home were occupied and two women were on a wait list. One of those waiting is a friend of Lendon’s, who went through a difficult divorce and is now trying to find an affordable place to live.

Veronica was a working nurse with a home until she was disagnosed with an illness. She faced being homeless when she had to pay for her medication over her rent. — Veronica was a working nurse with a home until she was diagnosed with an illness. She now lives in the Women’s City Club.

Veronica has lived at the club for the past few years (her story is also in the “Stories” tab). To stay at the club she has to pay roughly $60 to $65 a week just as the other residents do.

Each woman in the house has a mentor, who is either a woman in the club or a friend in the community.

“We’re really an anomaly, I don’t know of anybody else that is like us,” Lendon said.

To raise money for the expenses of the home, the club hosts several fundraisers. These include: an annual princess tea for young girls, a garden tour, a home tour every other year around Christmas time, and a rummage sale.