For some people, moving into a new apartment simply means living in a new place. But for Wanda, her 2024 move into a new South Minneapolis apartment meant so much more than a change of address. It represented a fresh start, made possible by her enduring resiliency, faith, and self-sufficiency through years of loss.
“I lost my husband, then I lost my daughter, so it kind of threw me somewhere I had never been in my life,” Wanda says.
Her new place was somewhere she could re-balance and regain her self-sufficiency.
“In order to get back to me, I had to find me,” recalls Wanda. “I was used to doing more for others than myself, so having the time and space to find myself again was important. Knowing who you are is a big part of self-sufficiency.”
Since working with PPL’s supportive housing team to move into her new home, Wanda has successfully maintained her housing and has set down roots in her neighborhood. She spends her days active in community by volunteering at her church’s food shelf and singing in the choir, working at McDonald’s, and spending valuable time with her family, including her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Through PPL, Wanda has learned to become more trusting of people and willing to accept community support. The opportunity, she says, has felt like a new beginning.
“A new beginning to be my best self, to serve the community, and to give back and look out for people,” she says.
Your gift helps PPL walk alongside more people like Wanda as they build a new beginning.