Metro Detroit nonprofits partner to help Southfield family transition out of homelessness
(CBS DETROIT) — The holidays are looking a little brighter for a family in Southfield thanks to several nonprofit organizations.
Picking Up The Pieces partnered with The Dre Project to donate furniture and food to a family that was previously homeless.
Shana White is putting the final touches on a gallery wall for her clients.
"When they left out of this room, they had absolutely nothing. They had no beds to sleep on. They had nothing, and when they came back, it was something that they only probably could dream of," White said.
It's a story that White is familiar with.
"I was once homeless. I went through the homeless process with my older son, and I knew what it felt like to go into a home with nothing," White said.
That's why White started Picking Up The Pieces.
"It's not just about four walls; it's about the furniture. It's about bringing closure to their homeless situation, bringing stability," White said.
Shaunnika Britt-Watson fell on hard times after a car accident, which made it difficult to work. She then suffered the devastating loss of her mother.
"That just took me to a downward spiral, and just pretty much where I'm at now and getting myself back together," Britt-Watson said.
Britt-Watson and her family of five recently transitioned from being homeless to having an apartment of their own.
"It was totally different from being in the hotel; like we have solace, we have peace. So that's what it felt like," Britt-Watson said.
Everything the family could possibly need from a sectional, desk, dining room table and beds was donated and assembled by the nonprofit organization.
"Although asking for help is hard, it is essential. We all need help. We all need each other. We're all a part of each other. So get out, get the ego out the way, and get some help," Britt-Watson said.
The look of joy on the faces of Britt-Watson and two of her four children made the hours of work worth it for White.
"My heart is completely full because that's what I do it for. We give hope to people," White said.
Now this apartment is a home, and this family can look forward to the future.
