Meet Shakira Crawford, 39, and her three kids, ages 8 to 13. She emigrated from Jamaica as a child, became a U.S. citizen in New York, and graduated from high school in the Bronx. She now works full-time at a Manhattan hotel earning $17,000 a year. She’s a survivor of domestic violence. She loves to laugh.

And she's homeless.

Crawford has been living in a shelter in East New York since last summer. 

New York has a long, checkered track record when it comes to addressing homelessness. The de Blasio administration is betting on a voucher program to help homeless people get back on their feet and under their own roof.

In this first installment of The Long Way Home (click above to listen), Shakira meets a real estate broker who promises to help her find a place. But city-issued vouchers like the one she hopes to use haven't always guaranteed success.

Since this series began, WNYC has received numerous inquiries from listeners who want to help Shakira Crawford. If you’d like to donate, she has set up a PayPal account here. Please note that WNYC is not affiliated with this account. We do not control the money nor do we monitor how it is spent. Donations are considered a gift to Crawford, and are not tax-deductible.