Success Stories - Alyssa

 

Alyssa had completed her High School Education at Tekamah Herman and was enrolled in continuing education classes that her Mother drove her to in Omaha.  She came with her Mother to Three Rivers, and told us that she was ready to live independently and thought they had found a house that was just right for her.  The little cottage designed house was located in Oakland and was within walking distance to the grocery store, doctor & dental office, pharmacy, library, and basically everything that Alyssa needed and wanted in her community.  Alyssa would require modifications to her bathroom to accommodate her special needs and the house also was in need of a new roof, electrical updates, and LBP abatement/stabilization, which Three Rivers could get done with the rehabilitation portion of the Purchase, Rehab, Resale Program.  USDA RD had approved Alyssa for a home loan and by combining the down payment/closing cost assistance from Three Rivers and Nebraska Housing Developer's Association's contribution to the bathroom modifications and their additional down payment lowering her monthly mortgage payment, we were able to get Alyssa into her perfect cottage.  Her monthly payments are affordable and she is enjoying living independently with her companion Dog, April.  Alyssa likes to write poems and has agreed to share one of them with us.  We think you will enjoy her work as much as we do.

 

 

 

Handicap's Color

Everyone can be

a different color,

A list is seen in my head.

Then comes a new color,

But the name is not

light tinted purple

Or sunset red.

It has the name "handicap"

Right over my head.

Angry red, gentle pink,

calm blue

mournful black,

deep purple, but

There is no color named "handicap."

That must be a label.

It has already been

seen in stores.

It has been seen

everywhere.

If the word "handicap" has a color

I would say that it is a mix

Of every color ever made.

There would be no label.

Just the name

of the person

that has the

word "handicap"

And whatever color

they are.

                                                    ------Alyssa

 

 

 

(Alyssa indicated in this poem she was comparing disabilities with racial discrimination.)