Sarah and her son Bryson bring many gifts to our community. Sarah has become a real leader, supporting the other women and offering a great example of gratitude and commitment to her son.
She grew up in foster care for almost eight years after her father went to prison and her mother’s husband began to abuse her. She says most of her foster homes were awful until the last one she was in with her daughter at age 16. They gave her structure and stability and wanted to help her have what was best for her and her baby. They trusted her to make the best decision for herself and her daughter. Sarah said, “I cared for her for six months and I realized it was not my time to be a mother and someone else could provide for her in the way that I couldn’t.” After much thought, she decided to place her daughter for adoption. Having this experience led to her desire to be the best parent she could be this time around.
After aging out of foster care, Sarah conceived a second child, Bryson. She was living with someone in a controlling relationship and saw she needed to leave. She moved in with her sister, but was unable to stay. She said she “faced the decision to be homeless and lose her son or to find a shelter that will help me better myself for my son.” She found the Community of Hope.
Since moving in, she has been working hard to find a job. She has already had an offer, but is continuing to look for an even better possibility as she waits for it to start. Having a stable living situation is a huge gift that she is daily thankful for in our evening meditation time. She sees that she is “progressing while basking in the ambience of being a mother.”
Sarah says that “the most helpful aspect of living at the Community of Hope is the support and the motivation I receive from all the people around me.” She added that, “The classes are very helpful. They are logical and realistic. They are a good source to help me grow in the skills taught in each class.”
Sarah has found a safe place to begin a new life, raise her son, and give him everything he needs. Her life is changing because of the opportunity to call the Community of Hope home.