Woman Recounts Transition from Homeownership to Homelessness, Finds Support with Charity

A woman who stated she “lost everything” has recounted how a Merseyside homeless charity provided her with “a chance at life again.” Danielle Kasek explained that she found herself with “nowhere to go and no-one to turn to” following a sequence of events that resulted in “things falling apart.” She stated, “I’d gone from having a mortgage at 19, two small children, a marriage, little picket fence kind of thing.” Ms. Kasek added, “I had a lot of traumas that weren’t my fault, but they impacted me tremendously.” Ms. Kasek indicated that various life events contributed to her developing an addiction, causing her to lose all hope. She recalled, “One night I had nowhere to go, it was raining, I sat under a streetlamp.” “It was really scary, I had no-one to turn to, and then someone told me about the Whitechapel,” she continued. The Whitechapel Centre, located in Liverpool, assists individuals experiencing homelessness, residing in hostels, or facing difficulties in managing their housing. Ms. Kasek stated, “They supported me, which was wonderful, they kept me warm, and they got me into a shared house.” She added, “Then I just went from strength to strength and I was really grateful for that opportunity.” Ms. Kasek has now collaborated with a collective of grassroots musicians in Liverpool to produce a Christmas single intended to benefit the homeless charity. A number of the participating artists are currently or were formerly homeless. The Whitechapel Centre requires approximately £8 million annually to operate its services, and there is an expectation that the song, titled Always A Home (For Christmas), will generate both funds and awareness. Toni-Marie Murphy-Roberts of The Whitechapel Centre commented, “It’s not just about somebody sitting on the streets or living in a tent.” She continued, “This year we’re supporting around 5,000 people, and that number is increasing.“ Murphy-Roberts explained, “People just genuinely cannot afford to have their own home and sustain it for long periods of time.“ She emphasized, “Making sure that we are there 24/7 for these people who are facing such extreme vulnerability is really, really important to us.” Music co-ordinator Jordan Francis, also involved in the song, shared that the charity assisted him during a “troubling time” upon his initial relocation to Liverpool. He recounted, “They put me up in a hostel and worked with me. I grew up in care, so they were able to get hold of a social worker for me.” Francis added, “It developed into a process where I got a flat deposit paid for me. That was four years ago now, and I’ve never looked back.” Ms. Kasek expressed her aspiration for the song to convey a message of hope to individuals. She stated, “If you’re a person who’s having that experience [of homelessness], you’re simply existing, you don’t feel like there’s any hope of a tomorrow.” Ms. Kasek concluded, “I’m showing people that is possible to turn everything around. You can change your life around and there is hope.”