Near the end of her pregnancy, LB took a getaway trip to Victoria, British Columbia. It was the first time she had ever left the country.
After months living in a van and motel with her long-term partner and children, the family had stable housing. A federal subsidy provided by the Bremerton Housing Authority allowed them to afford an apartment. It covered enough costs that some of her income working as a medical assistant went toward savings.
After that trip, though, her security began to unravel. LB – who is being identified by her initials to protect her identity – went to a Canadian hospital with high blood pressure. Doctors did not want her to travel home. She gave birth prematurely…