The Rathgeber Center for Families Client Story: Robert Lynn
When the pandemic struck, Robert and his wife lost their jobs. Their finances quickly dwindled, and fear of becoming homeless led them to take an unconventional path: they decided to travel across the United States to ease their son’s fears. They found work with Uber Eats and Grubhub, using their earnings for motels and food. Despite their efforts, they continued to struggle and eventually returned to Austin. Unfortunately, the income from deliveries wasn’t enough to afford rent, leaving them feeling hopeless and without a home.
They wandered from town to town, trying to regain their footing. After two years of this lifestyle, Robert and his wife noticed their son developing a similar tendency to avoid problems. "My wife and I, we got together, and decided we needed to get with a rescue center and see what we can do to show our son a better life than running from place to place to place.”
Robert and his wife reached out to our shelter, The Rathgeber Center for Families, which welcomed them with a room. There, a case manager guided them through the program, outlining the resources available for their success, immediately providing them with hope and relief. From financial literacy to job assistance and licensed therapy, the family was connected to the comprehensive support system they had been searching for. Remarkably, after just 36 days at The Rathgeber Center, both Robert and his wife secured full-time jobs.
Robert knows going into the shelter not only saved them financially but transformed the state of their family too. “We do things as a family. We sit down and play board games at night. Mentally, physically, and emotionally we are in a much better place just being here 36 days. I can only imagine what the next 6 months are going to look like for us.” They are grateful to be united and show their son how to work through challenges rather than running from them.
Now, the entire family looks forward to their future with plans to move into their own home and dreams of living on a piece of land one day. They are eager to continue learning and growing together as they strive for new successes. “They helped me build a foundation. And now I get to build up upon it. They’re able to give me different avenues to where I can work on myself to be a better person for my wife and my child,” says Robert.
Robert continued to express gratitude with a message for partners of The Salvation Army, “It’s not a waste. It really saves people’s lives. Whether it be socks to diapers, to monetary donations, to the food we eat every single day, to the AC that blows on us at night... I can't express enough what y’all do for us without even knowing us. And we appreciate it.”