Did You Know?
The foreclosure crisis and growing poverty will drive an increased demand for emergency shelter in 2008.
HomeAid, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) corporation. Federal Non-Profit Tax ID No. 33-0673009.
 Combined Federal Campaign #76022
|
Kimberly, Dallas, TX
Kimberly and her three small sons entered New Beginning Center one morning. She had been assaulted the night before by her husband of 10 years. During the prior two months, she had called the police three times. Twice, they had told her to work things out. On the third visit, her husband was given a citation.
During the next assault, she fled to a nearby convenience store instead of calling the police. She had New Beginning Center's phone number from a pamphlet left in the restroom of her church. Kimberly was so severely assaulted that she required a visit to the hospital before she came to the shelter.
She and her very tired boys were taken to their room, and finally able to relax and go to sleep. The next morning, Kimberly said it was the first night in more than three months that her children had not woken up with nightmares.
The next day, the older boys were enrolled in school and the youngest was placed in day care. Kimberly was given legal information and filed a protective order for herself and her sons, keeping her husband away from the family. The second week at the New Beginning Center shelter, she searched for employment and found a job as a receptionist at a hotel in Dallas. Kimberly reported to her advocate that she felt like her life was beginning to come together.
Before she came to the shelter, she couldn't see any hope. Her husband had told her that she was nothing without him, and that she would never be able to make it on her own. Kimberly now knew that that wasn't true.
During her third week, Kimberly found an apartment close to her job and on the bus line. She applied and received assistance for her deposit and first month's rent. That Wednesday, her legal advocate accompanied her to the Protective Order Hearing where she was granted a protective order for two years. By the end of the third week, a "new apartment kit" was assembled, and the shelter made arrangements to transport furniture to the new apartment.
During her last week at the shelter, Kimberly set up appointments for herself and her children at New Beginning Center's Victim Outreach services. She said she understood the importance of continued support after leaving the shelter. Kimberly and her three sons had been given a new beginning.
|
|
|
Email