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.
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