Marie and her dog Little, Plymouth residents

Marie’s home at Plymouth is full of bright colors. Cards, photos, and other mementos surround her as Marie rests in a cozy recliner and her chihuahua Little sleeps in her bed. Marie is soft spoken and direct, occasionally sharing a warm smile that lights up her eyes.

The experience of homelessness creates many significant challenges to overcome—from negative health impacts to justice system involvement to psychological trauma and more. However, homelessness does not define a person. Each of Plymouth’s residents is an important member of our community, and their perspectives and voices are valuable.

Volunteers Hanna Brooks Olsen and Emmett Montgomery want to help Plymouth residents share their stories, and so they run a monthly “Use Your Voice” workshop. “It felt like one of the biggest and most silent sides of homelessness is that you don’t get to talk anymore,” Hanna says. So she and Emmett offer space and support for residents to come together, bring their own story ideas, and share them. “It’s about talking, listening, and how to find the good things in what you say or what others say,” Hanna explains.

Marie credits Hanna and Emmett’s workshop with helping her advocate for herself. “It makes me stronger,” she says. Since moving into her home at Plymouth, Marie proudly shares that she has begun working on getting her GED. She’s also acquiring a food handling license so that she can volunteer to serve food at a nearby food bank, and she hopes to move to more independent living in the future. “Plymouth gave me a place where I can go further in life,” Marie says, and then her smile brightens the room.