I never thought, never dreamed, that at 50 I would find myself homeless. I started working at 13 babysitting for two boys down the street. At 15 I worked in the concession stand at the ball park. In high school I was a cashier at a grocery store and continued to work there to put myself through college. I had a decent job until the recession; I was unable to find work and went back to the beginning, babysitting for a young mother in my neighborhood. I love children but I could not replace my previous salary. I got so far behind in the payments that I lost my home. My parents passed away about 10 years ago and with them my safety net both financially and emotionally. I was at a loss when one of the women at church referred me to the House of Bread and Peace.

The above is an illustration of how women of all ages and backgrounds can find themselves homeless, unemployed and in debt. Our residents have many struggles and barriers on their journey back to self-sufficiency.  Since obtaining and maintaining permanent housing is the ultimate goal of all our residents, we address the need of overcoming the barriers to independent housing with them all. 

* This story is for illustration purposes and does not represent a specific individual or situation.