After Lynnette Trotter, 45, lost more than 100 pounds and much of her physical strength to cancer, she knew she had to earn a college degree to find a new type of work.
Before she was diagnosed in 2013, she had relied on her large stature and physical strength to perform labor-intensive work in fields and warehouses. Unable to find a job with her lingering medical issues, Trotter spent five months rotating among Portland, Oregon, motels and Washington state parks, using her handicap permit for a discounted rate.
Now cancer-free and a resident of the city's tiny house community Dignity Village, Trotter is studying to complete her last 10 credits for a general associate degree at Portland Community College. One of the keys to her success: internet access.
Dignity Village is one of a handful of homeless encampments in the Pacific Northwest, most of which lie in Seattle, where people are granted free or cheap Wi-Fi. The hope is that the access will give people such as Trotter the resources to get back on their feet.
Beyond schoolwork, internet access allows camp members to search for jobs, sign up for benefits, and stay connected to society by interacting with family and friends.