It’s a total blessing

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, December 4, 2003

The Coppage family of Everett will get to live free for the next year, at least as far as their monthly rent is concerned.

The Coppages are among seven families in the Puget Sound area who will have their rent paid for 12 months while they work to gather the money management and job skills necessary to become self-sufficient.

"It’s a total blessing," said Robert Coppage.

The program is a partnership between Windermere Real Estate and the Salvation Army. Windermere is providing the money through a foundation that receives a portion of each sale by member agents.

The Salvation Army will contribute training and support aimed at helping the families become financially successful.

Capt. Norman Patton, program director at the Salvation Army’s Snohomish County headquarters, said the program is intended to break the cycle of poverty that often leads to homelessness.

"The Windermere money helps because they (the families) don’t have to stress over paying the rent," he said. "They are investing in themselves and working on the family unit."

A sampling of the families to be helped include:

A 32-year-old mother of two boys, ages 13 and 7, who recently fled an abusive relationship. She plans to complete medical training and secure a full-time job.

Another single mother of two who needs exploratory surgery. She’s self-employed and will use the help to resolve her health problems.

A mother of three who hopes to earn a nursing degree and build a new life after leaving the children’s father, a man under criminal investigation.

Coppage, who has four children, said the family had been living paycheck to paycheck and relying on government support.

"This will allow us to save," he said. "We’ll get some life training and some job skills."

Coppage said his youngest child just started school full time this year. The plan is for his wife, Wendy, to get some job training because she has been out of the workforce for many years.

"We’ve been relying on the state for help," he said. "This allows us both to be working."

Patton said the program is similar to one he worked with in California that attacks the root causes of homelessness.

"The two things necessary for success are a supportive, cohesive family and money control," he said.

Patton said each family will get a different plan tailored to the members’ needs — whether it be help with budgeting, job skills or other training.

He said he hopes some of the participants will be on a solid footing well before the year is up so some of the aid can be used to assist additional families.

Coppage said he is grateful for the help.

"It’s a great program," he said. "The free rent is huge, but the most important thing is the training. That’s what we really want. This will allow our life to change, and we really want it to change.

Mike Benbow: 425-339-3459; benbow@heraldnet.com.