Oregon Public Broadcasting

OPB's Hard Times series has spent the last few months following several people in different economic circumstances as they weather the recession.

For some of them, life has gone from bad to worse. But for others – like Ben Perrins and Cindi Shipley – things are looking up.

Rob Manning caught up with the formerly-homeless family of five over an exceptional weekend.

I met Ben and Cindi for the first time last Memorial Day. It was their choice to meet at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

They didn't have a working car, and they could get there on light rail. They were living at a friend's house in Washington County with their then three-year-old son, Kristopher.

Their two older kids were living with Cindi's mom, in North Portland, so they could stay in school. Cindi said the split was unfortunate but necessary – because she and Ben didn't have jobs, or a stable home.

Cindi Shipley: "We gotta have housing to be able to go to a job every day, but we've got to have a job, to get housing. It's like a big circle." 

Now, six months later, they're breaking that circle.

The family of five spent about five months at family shelter in Gresham called My Father's House.

Ben and Cindi repeatedly negotiated extensions to avoid leaving the shelter with no place to go.

Then, last Friday, Ben and Cindi signed papers for a three-bedroom apartment.

Six-year-old Kenny runs around the empty apartment, while his four-year-old brother Kristopher tries to keep up, and Ben looks the place over.

Ben Perrins: "This is going to be Kya's room! I'm like ‘wow, this is a change.' My daughter gets a room. We haven't gotten her a bed or anything yet, so you know. We're working on that stuff."

The room at My Father's House was a tight fit for the five of them. Even though Kenny will still share a room with his brother, he's excited.

Kenny: "And this is so awesome!!!"

Ben Perrins: "What's so awesome about it, kiddo?"

Kenny: "I get a bed by myself, and Kristopher gets another bed."

The Southeast Portland apartment is $750 a month, but Ben says half of that should be covered by a housing subsidy. It's their first apartment in a year and a half.

Ben and Cindi are optimistic that between the money they saved while living at the shelter, and government assistance, they can cover the rent for a while. But they still don't have jobs.

Now the first night, only Ben and the boys are staying over. It's not for the lack of furniture. It's because after eight years together, Ben and Cindi are getting married the next day, and Ben doesn't want to see his bride beforehand.

Ben Perrins: "It's bad luck, kind of – every time I've gotten married, and I didn't do it, the marriage went south. So this time, let's stick with a little old time."

Friends and family file into the chapel at My Father's House for the wedding. Cindi Shipley gets ready in what's usually the shelter's playroom.

Cindi Shipley: "It is an incredible weekend. Most people, they deal with getting a house or getting married. I'm doing both in two days. 48 hours, and I've got a house, getting married, and going on a fabulous honeymoon, and just having all these things that we didn't know we were going to get."

Cindi's gown, the wedding cake, and even the honeymoon were donated. Cindi's nine year-old daughter, Kya is a bridesmaid in a red and black gown.

Kya Burch: "We get a limo ride – hee hee – so fun – and my brothers are in little cute little tuxes. It's cool."

A few minutes later, Ben's at the front of the chapel and Cindi is walking down the aisle to an old Stevie Wonder song.

Cathe Wiese: "On behalf of Cindi and Ben, I would like to welcome you all to their marriage, to witness their vows and their commitment to one another...."

Cathe Wiese is officiating. She runs My Father's House.

Cathe Wiese: "By the authority invested in me by the state of Oregon, I now pronounce you man and wife. So, Ben, you may kiss your bride...."

Wiese says she's married many couples, like Ben and Cindi. She says it's a natural step for parents who are trying to put their lives back together.

Cathe Wiese: "When they get here, the only way to go is up. So they start working on their issues, start working on things. They realize ‘hey, we've got these kids together, we are a family, we want to make this legal, we want to start our lives over'."

Wiese says Ben and Cindi's difficulty finding jobs and housing is pretty common, too. She says the time families spend at her shelter has increased from an average of three months to five.

Now Ben and Cindi's extraordinary weekend gives way to a more ordinary week.

Ben Perrins: "It's back to the grind again. You know, where I take the kids to school, then I go look for work. She's going to be home putting the house together. You know, it's things like that."

Ben and Cindi say they're grateful to social service providers and donors who helped put their family on stable footing again.