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I felt scared, alone and hopeless moving for six months with three small children from family to family. My husband had left us and my family was not supportive.
What happened for me was a snowball effect--from being homeless to having childcare, training, a job, friends and our own apartment. (With training I received my CDL and now drive truck delivering propane for a gas company.)
It's hard expressing how we felt moving into our very own place. My children felt secure again and so hapy to have their own beds and toys. I felt a very huge weight being lifted.
Relating to my Bridge of Hope mentors was easier than I anticipated. At first I was nervous, but they encouraged and supported us and helped with babysitting and preparing meals. What my mentors gave me most was a sense of belonging. They are the family I never had.
What has Bridge of Hope meant to us? It's in the name. A Bridge was created that led us to a feeling of real Hope. It has been the biggest stepping stone for us.
I left my alcoholic husband after almost six years of marriage. I felt happy and relieved to be leaving an abusive household, yet nervous about what the future would hold for me and my three-year-old son.
I spent 10 months living at a transitional housing program. There I became a stronger and more confident woman, but the time came when I needed to move out.
I was accepted into Bridge of Hope and soon met my mentors. This group of strangers became my friends. I felt secure having this group of people behind me every step of the way.
When I got my apartment I couldn't have asked for more. Every piece of furniture and household item was gathered for me. I felt at home in my new place.
A Bridge of Hope staff person visited me every two weeks and helped me with my budget.
After 17 months with Bridge of Hope, it was time for me to graduate. My experience had been wonderful. I was advised and guided, but most of all I was respected. Nobody looked down on me or pointed a finger at me. It was all about moving on.
Going back to school during my time in Bridge of Hope was the best investment I could have made in my future. It forever changed my life for the good in so many ways. I now feel like a completely different person in terms of life goals.
Life seems so insurmountable when you are a single mother with kids and no money, but that can change step-by-step if you are persistent and learn the channels to get where you want to go. Bridge of Hope was so integral to that for me. Without the extra help from my mentors and the organization, I would have fallen apart and given up on life.
Bridge of Hope is such an asset in a woman's life. The extra help over the intial hurdles of homelessness makes all the difference.