The Bouchers are a family of two parents and five kids of the ages two to eleven. They moved back to Washington in 2019 to be closer to Amanda’s father. Things were steady for a while as Amanda and Marc worked at Walmart and the family stayed in a Days Inn for four years. Amanda also worked as a certified nursing assistant.
Then the pandemic hit. The hotel became unsafe and unsanitary. Due to health concerns, Amanda wasn’t sure if she should be vaccinated. Eventually, she did, but lost her job because she couldn’t secure an appointment in time. Amanda started having seizures regularly and Marc didn’t want to leave her side. Maintaining care for Amanda and the kids meant Marc couldn’t secure a job easily.
The family was forced to live in their car. Navigating sleeping, school and basic daily tasks such as eating and finding restrooms were difficult. The family found temporary housing with the Interfaith Family Shelter, but again found themselves back in a hotel. This time they have better resources and are on a waitlist for more permanent housing.