Eva and Kaz's story

 "My name is Kaz and I was Eva’s lead worker. That’s the two of us in the photograph , which was taken just a few months ago. As you can probably tell from the picture, I adore Eva. The strength of our relationship is only possible thanks to your generous donations.” 

Ending homelessness is about so much more than putting a roof over someone’s head, it’s about providing the tailored support a person needs to rebuild their life, in many different ways.  

Eva worked in a hotel until the pandemic hit in 2020 and she lost her job. When her marriage broke down, she was forced into homelessness. Having migrated from Greece to the UK almost three decades ago, she had no family to turn to, and without an income, she was forced to sofa-surf. For four months, she had no room of her own, no privacy and no stability. When she had to move on, the council didn’t see her as a priority, despite her age, and turned her away because they said her paperwork needed updating. 

Eva had no option but to sleep on the streets. She told Kaz about her experience: 

“For three days I lived on the road, I never closed my eyes because I didn’t know what was going to happen. If you sleep, you are half dead – you can’t understand what’s going on around you, especially as a woman.” 

Thankfully, Eva heard about Crisis through a friend, and asked for help at one of our shops. It was then that she was introduced to Kaz. 

First, she found Eva a place in a shelter in an area she knew. They then started to look for a flat Eva  could afford on Universal Credit, through one of the private landlords we work with. Eva took the first flat she saw, and Kaz was able to help with the paperwork. Thanks to the donations from our supporters, she was able to pay for the deposit and one month’s rent, as well as a mattress and bedding – something Eva couldn’t have done alone.  

“Eva was so excited, she told me it felt like a palace. We helped her with furniture and kitchen essentials and then started applying for local council accommodation”.  

From there, the next step was helping Eva access the disability payments she was entitled to, as well as organising her personal documents, which she hadn’t updated since first moving to the UK, along with a visit to the optometrist for glasses.  

Soon Eva was settling into the local community, going to the church and making new friends. After Eva was forced into homelessness following the breakdown of her marriage, it was vital to support her to form a new support network in order to improve her confidence.  

Through arts and wellbeing sessions run at our Crisis Skylights – including jewellery marking, yoga and computer literacy – Eva quickly developed skills and hobbies that brought her joy and built her self-esteem. 

“It’s time which is vital to help people overcome the barrier that forced them into homelessness, to restore their trust, develop their confidence and support their growth.”

We continue to face increasing demand for our support, but your gift will help our team to support more people to secure a home and rebuild their lives after homelessness. Today, two years on from when she first met Kaz, Eva has now moved into sheltered housing for over 60s.  

Thanks to you, Eva now feels safe.