Sunrise Stories: Meet Wanda

For the past decade, Wanda has been raising her grandchildren, working tirelessly to give them a safe and stable life.

But safety felt impossible when their home became infested with rodents.

She reported the problem to her landlord repeatedly. Nothing changed. The rodents destroyed their food and furniture, and Wanda and her grandchildren began sleeping in the same room, afraid one of the children would be bitten during the night.

When her lease ended, she knew they couldn’t stay, but living on a fixed income, she couldn’t afford to move on her own. After connecting with Austin Legal Aid, she was referred to the Sunrise Hotline.

Wanda found a new place to live, but she didn’t have the upfront costs that often comes with a rental deposit. Sunrise Wayfinder staff quickly stepped in covering the move-in costs and supporting Wanda and her grandchildren as they moved into their new home

That first night felt like relief. Answered prayers.

“Without Sunrise, we couldn’t do it,” Wanda said. “Sunrise was the only one that rescued us.”

Many clients looking for housing resources work. That’s why the Sunrise Hotline is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm.

Housing crises don’t keep business hours.

Each year, Sunrise staff answer more than 40,000 calls from desperate families and individuals searching for hope.

Sunrise is always a short call, text, or chat away ready to navigate clients to stability, safety, and a way forward thanks to supporters like you.