Lakewood Ranch concert to benefit Bradenton's Turning Points

BRADENTON -- Renee Swauger cried Monday when she talked about being homeless last year. She spent some nights sleeping with her three daughters -- now ages 10, 9 and 7 -- in her car parked in a Bradenton day care's parking lot.

"I would stay just wherever we could because I didn't have anyone or anywhere to go," Swauger said.

A day care worker let Swauger use her parking space overnight. Then, first thing in the morning, Swauger and her girls would go inside the day care and use the bathroom. Swauger, a single mom whose husband went to prison in 2011 and has not been in the family's life since he was released, would wash the girls with paper towels to get them ready for school.

As Swauger told her story Monday at Turning Points, the local non-profit that helped end her homelessness in 2015, on daughter slid closer to her, another got a tissue for her mother, the youngest, Laela, 7, buried her head in her chest.

In the hope of helping more people like Swauger get off the streets, Turning Points, whose mission is to curb homelessness by offering rent and utility assistance, medical and dental to the uninsured and myriad basic needs services, will receive some of the proceeds from an upcoming Music On Main concert.

Although the Lakewood Ranch Music On Main is free, Turning Points will receive funds from alcohol sales at Jan. 8 concert on Main Street. The featured performers from 6 to 9 p.m. are The Hatley Band, a group which blends Southern Rock and country.

"We are excited to partner with Music On Main for the first time," said Margi Dawson, Turning Points' development director.

Music On Main is usually on the first Friday of every month but the first Friday in January falls on Jan. 1 so the concert has been pushed to Jan. 8.

Swauger said she wants the world to know that there are many people like herself out there who are trying but just can't do it without help.

"There is housing, but you still have to make a certain amount of money," Swauger said. "There needs to be some way to get that kick-off, that jump-start without jumping through hoops. Sometimes those hoops are impossible when you have children and don't have support."

Turning Points gave Swauger that jump-start by putting her in a motel and then finding an apartment for her, Swauger said. The agency now helps her with her roughly $600 a month rent.

Finding low cost housing for clients like Swauger is a continual challenge, said Dawson, who appeals to landlords with housing in the $600 to $800 per month range to call Turning Points at 941-747-1509.

"We have a lot of families and individuals working full time but they are making minimum wage and it is hard for them to find housing they can afford for their families in the $600 to $800 a month range in Manatee County," Dawson said.

Using money from local and federal grants and events like Music On Main, Turning Points was able to provide $947,564 in rent and utility assistance in 2014-2015, Dawson said.

The organization gave 582 households money to live last year, including 738 adults and 862 children.

Of the 9,645 clients Turning Points served, 51 percent were men and 49 percent were women, Dawson said.

Swauger and her daughters now live in an apartment in Oneco.

Swauger, who graduated from State College of Florida, hopes to be an interior decorator and landscaper.

"As long as you want it and you are dedicated to getting to a better place it will happen," Swauger said.

"My daughters are going to grow up to be wonderful young women," Swauger added.

Nyla Upshaw, the eldest daughter, is 10 and hopes for a career in the military. Jayda Upshaw, 9, wants to be a scientist and Laela, 7, wants to be a veterinarian.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.

This story was originally published December 28, 2015 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch concert to benefit Bradenton's Turning Points ."