Jeremy's Story

One of our Outreach and Diversion Specialists, Nicole, met Jeremy (pictured above*) on a cold night in March. He shared his story with us about his journey from homeless to housed.

While conducting street outreach on a snowy night earlier this year, Nicole met Jeremy in the parking lot of Casey's. He was cold, hungry, tired and struggling with health issues due to diabetes. She explained that she was with Friends of the Family, out in the community doing street outreach and asked if he was interested in doing an assessment or at that very least, if he wanted something to eat and a backpack of supplies. 

After agreeing to do an assessment, Nicole found out that Jeremy was a veteran but he didn't believe he would qualify for any vet services and wasn't interested in pursuing them. She left that night but later saw him three more times during outreach. During their third meeting, Nicole was persistent and suggested that they at least try and see if he qualified for any services. She would connect him to Veterans Affairs (VA) as well as help with any paperwork needed. 

Jeremy finally made the decision to move forward with Friends of the Family that night and two months after their initial meeting on that cold winter night, he was accepted into VA programming! He started working with a case manager and through work and determination, Jeremy was successfully excited from the homeless system.

Nicole ran into Jeremy several months later at an event. He walked up to her beaming with pride and let her know he has been housed for five months and had everything he had every hoped for. He thanked her excitedly and shared that if they had not met that night during outreach, and had she not continued to check-in with him, he would have probably died on the street. 

He also told her he has been sober since the first time they spoke and that he couldn't be happier with his life now. Jeremy continued to thank Nicole and said, "Friends of the Family IS making a difference for people on the street at their lowest and I could not be more grateful for the work you do." 

After this meeting, Nicole followed up with Jeremy one more time. She met his granddaughter, whom he now gets to spend time with and be a caretaker for, now that he is sober, in a stable place and safely housed. 

* Image, name and story have been shared with client's permission.

Julia's Story

Julia* had been struggling for a long time. Substance use, homelessness and unemployment were her every day reality. Upon entering a housing program with Friends of the Family, Julia was still overcome with a feeling of hopelessness.

Since receiving housing assistance and entering into a program, things are looking much different for Julia. She first obtained employment as a cashier and within two months, flourished in her workplace so much that she moved into the assistant manager position.

She has also maintained sobriety, which is no small feat to overcome after so many years of substance use. Julia has also become very involved with her community, using her new way of living as a chance to give back. She attends support groups as well, and has a sponsor she can turn to when days are a little harder.

Finding the path back to loving herself has also been part of Julia's journey. Knowing she can now accomplish her dreams gives her the self-esteem and feelings of self-worth she had been missing.

Meeting regularly with a Friends of the Family Housing Support Specialist is also now part of her routine. They are helping Julia to complete her chosen goals in a timely manner and they will continue to support and encourage Julia on this journey of rebuilding her life and moving forward on to things that not too long ago may have seemed impossible. 

Julia told us, "I'm now surrounding myself with “things” in my apartment that I love and that provides motivation to continue with sobriety. I have not felt this positive and hopeful in years."

*Name was changed due to confidentiality.

addie's Story

A social worker from the area connected our Outreach & Diversion Specialist with Addie*, a mother of 3 who had a 4th baby on the way.

Currently, Addie is experiencing homelessness but this soon to be mom of 4 is resilient and wants nothing more then to get back on her feet to get her family housed and stable. To achieve this, Addie has been attending work training classes.  She was able to meet with FOF Staff in person on her lunch break to do a housing assessment at her training center. She is nearly done with the courses and is looking forward to starting her new career!

In speaking with staff, she explained her children were lucky enough to stay with their grandmother until she got stable. She also expressed fear was that her living situation would have a negative impact on her baby's development. Staff continued with her housing assessment and weighed out options and resources that were available to her.

The very next housing meeting a few days later, staff was able to ler her know her household was pulled for a housing program! They are now on their way to stable, secure and safe housing!!

*Name was changed due to confidentiality.

Family Story

A Housing Support Specialist at Friends of the Family (FOF) received a call from the Waterloo Human Rights office.

The caller was a social worker, Sasha*, seeking assistance regarding a case involving a couple with seven beautiful kids. They were living in an unsanitary home in desperate need of repairs. The landlord of their home was refusing to take any actions because he knew the family was unaware of their tenant rights. 

Luckily they reached out to Sasha, who went right to work and diligently sought out resources for the family. This led to their case being brought to FOF.

Sasha was directed to an FOF Outreach Specialist. They were able to go down to the Human Rights office to meet with the family and assess their specific needs. After these needs were identified, FOF's shelter team was contacted. 

From there, FOF Shelter staff was able to provide the family with a hotel stay. Once there was a space available, staff was able to transition this family to shelter. 

Now, the family is receiving wrap around services to move them onto the next phase, more suitable housing and a place to call home. Also, with the help of the FOF shelter team, the father of the household, who worked an hour away from the shelter, was able to transfer his job closer. Since he does not have to make that commute every day, the family can save money on gas and build towards their future. His commute is now less than 10 minutes! 

Tom's Story

Tom was working in construction and lost out on jobs due to COVID. He got behind on rent, leading him to be evicted from his unit. After becoming homeless he mainly stayed in the woods or places not meant for human habitation. He also has an 8-year-old whom he has visitation with.  

He heard about FOF from a friend and called to get placed on our prioritization list. His name was pulled and he was placed in a housing program. He was so thankful and happy to be getting support. He was always pleasant, even with the barriers and obstacles he was facing. 

Team members helped him find a place that he loved, and he was able to see his child. Unfortunately, his drug addiction and mental health took a toll on him. He started hallucinating and having delusions, which contributed to him damaging some property. After this, his landlord gave him a 30-day notice. The client was sad about this news because he really liked the apartment but understood why he had to leave. In the meantime, staff helped him secure a new place through a different landlord. 

After moving into his new place, he got help for his mental health and got a job. He just completed one year in the program and is staying optimistic and working hard. 

Kate's Story

A team member noticed a person crying and carrying a bin full of clothes down the sidewalk, she was headed to the laundry. He approached her to ask if she needed assistance. She shared that her 24-year-old son just passed away from an illness, and that she was struggling. She also shared that she was homeless on most days and on other days, when she was lucky enough, she was allowed to stay at a friend's house for short periods of time. 
 
They spoke about possible resources and different ways that FOF could assist her in her situation and scheduled a more in-depth assessment for a later time. The next day he received a message from her saying she was highly depressed the day before because of her living situation and the recent death of her son, and that she was thinking about suicide. She thanked him for stopping to talk to her for a bit that day because she believed he saved her life. 
 
Since then, this wonderful person has been assessed for housing and has been selected for one of our housing programs, along with a close friend of hers. She is regaining her self-confidence and feels support in her journey to independence. 

Sara's Story

Sara came into shelter a few days before Thanksgiving very timid and scared. She answered most of my questions with only a few words and rarely made eye contact. When I read over her intake paperwork, I noticed that she had a 10-year-old son but came to shelter alone.  

 When I asked Sara about her son, her eyes had a soft glow and for the first time since arriving, she engaged in conversation about her son and how much she missed him. She mentioned that she didn’t want to interrupt his school schedule and knew that if she was successful, they wouldn’t be apart from one another for long. He was safe with family.  

From there, we discussed some short-term goals and she said she would like to first get a job. I knew that a local restaurant was hiring and asked if she was interested in looking into that as a possibility. She was definitely open to the idea, but had never really had a job, and wasn’t sure if she could even complete a job application on her own. We put that at the top of our to-do list.  

During her first few days in shelter, Sara opened up about the mental, emotional and financial abuse she endured for some time, all reasons she was never allowed to have a job or really get out much. We worked through the Power and Control Wheel and spent some time learning about the different types of abuse. She didn't realize that the years of being belittled and controlled was most definitely domestic violence. She viewed domestic violence as only the physical violence she endured, as many people do. 

By the end of the week, Sara received a phone call from the restaurant and went in for her interview.... She got the job! From there, we looked at housing options and she was able to find a 2-bedroom apartment close by.  

Sara has been in her new place now for over a month. She is working full-time, seeing a counselor regularly, and her son proudly has a Minecraft-themed bedroom of his own!  

Shani's Story

Shani, a single parent of three kids, came to Iowa from Africa after her husband died. Several years later, she entered into a relationship that seemed so perfect in the beginning. After moving in together, Shani began to see the red flags:  he had to know everywhere she went, he controlled what money she could spend, he angered so quickly, and then he slapped her.

Over time, the control and violence escalated, and she lost custody of her kids. She knew then that she had to get out. She contacted another service organization who knew Friends of the Family would be the best fit for her situation and made the connection. After an assessment, we determined that she qualified for a housing program and began the process of getting her moved into a fully furnished transitional unit. These transitional units allow the client time to work on surmounting barriers, gaining self-sufficiency, and moving into permanent housing.

Shani and her FOF team member were able to develop a plan and set goals for obtaining housing, establishing income, connecting her with community resources, and regaining custody of her kids. Through this process she faced many challenges with service providers, doctors, landlords, etc., due to English being her second language. The language barrier was/is a difficult one to get through. Her FOF team member met with her weekly to learn more about her, her culture, and her goals for the future.

Shani was able to overcome the obstacles she was facing and work towards employment. Once employed, she was able to begin the process of getting her children back and finding her own home. Then two months into her stay in our transitional unit, we connected with a landlord willing to work with our assistance. She was approved for her very own house and moved in a week later. Shortly after, she was granted unsupervised overnight visits with her kids.

Shani accessed our services for 6 months and then was set up with a 3-month plan to exit the program, as she has reached a point of self-sufficiency.  Her determination and perseverance were inspiring. She shared, “I thank God every day for Friends of the Family. I would not have been able to do this without you.”

Claudia's story

When I first got connected with Friends of the Family several years ago, life was extremely hard. I had been with my children’s father for a long time, but it progressively was getting more abusive, especially toward the end. Everything came to a peak and it got so bad one night that he ended up being arrested. We were already in a bad spot financially, so I ended up going to stay with my mother.   

The lowest point for me was when I ended up losing custody of my children because of their exposure to his abuse.  

For about six months I struggled. Like, really struggled. I was homeless. I did not have a car. I did not have a job. I was looking for work, a home, and a vehicle, but it all just seemed impossible at the time.  

I was told I could not get my kids back until I had secured safe housing. The programs I looked into would turn me away because they were only for mothers with children, but all I needed was to secure housing to get them back. It did not make any sense.  

Your organization was the only one that was willing to help me when I was in that position. Housing was the only thing I absolutely could not do on my own – to get the first month’s rent and deposit paid up front. After I was housed, my Friends of the Family caseworker visited regularly to see how things were going and brought me a basket of some basic things I needed. I will never forget what she did for us. 

 Shortly after getting housed, I got my kids back. FOF providing me with that couple of months of housing assistance is what made that happen. I really do not know what would have happened had I not received help with housing. It is hard to think about.  

My kids had been through a lot of trauma and they were young. I really worried about the memories they would have, but within a few years they have blossomed and do not have any bad memories. They are doing amazing. They are everything in the world to me. 

Shortly after being housed, I started a new job that I am blessed to have. I am married now, and we are in the process of buying a house. Friends of the Family was the steppingstone to help get me and my children to an amazing place in life. 

Cassie's Story

This story is told by the client herself.

My husband and I lived in our car for over a year because addiction had us stuck in a hopeless cycle. When we found Friends of the Family, we were finally clean and sober, but felt stuck. We had no permanent shelter. We spent some nights on the floors and couches of our new sober friends, but most of the time we slept outside – in the winter. I had just started a new job and wanted so very badly to break the cycle. We met with a team member from FOF and within a few days of our initial contact with the agency, we were considered an emergent situation, so we didn't have to wait long for help.

We looked at several places and our team member was at all of our appointments to help advocate for us. My husband has drug felonies on his record, so normally our application would have been rejected. But we were able to get letters of recommendation from friends in the AA program we attend. It wasn’t long before we signed a lease, we paid the deposit, and Friends of the Family paid the rent. We finally got the keys to our own place. It felt amazing!

I still tear up thinking about how happy I was that day. Our FOF team member met with us weekly for almost a year, and we are so grateful for her support. We still live in the same apartment, three years later. We are both clean, sober, working, and paying our rent. And I still use the blanket I got from FOF. I am grateful every day for the help provided for us by Friends of the Family.

Adam's Story

Several months ago, Adam was staying in a shelter and only had one week before he would be back on the streets, homeless. He had been struggling with homelessness for the past few years, and it was imperative that he find a permanent housing solution and get back to a sense of normalcy. In addition to his lack of housing, Adam faced many other struggles. He had no source of income, making it difficult to access the things he needed on a day-to-day basis. Also, he was a recovering addict and was struggling with major depression, making it even more challenging to achieve his goals.  

Adam reached out to FOF and was enrolled in a housing program. With support, he was able to make landlord connections and start his housing search. Within just two weeks he signed a lease and was settled into his new home by the end of the month. Through his hard work and determination, he took control of his future and made his goal of having a home a reality.  

Adam worked closely with an FOF team member to create a plan for long-term housing stability, including eliminating and reducing barriers that could pose a threat in the future. With the same motivation, he actively sought out supporting resources to address his main concerns, his mental health and sobriety, so that he could continue moving in a positive direction.  

Adam now works for a social services agency, and soon after being hired, he received a raise for his hard work and dedication to the company and the individuals they serve. As he nears the completion of the program, he is confident that he can remain self-sufficient and continue to do wonderful things for himself and his community. 

Janine's story

Janine came to Friends of the Family seeking housing assistance through the walk-in referral system in North Central Iowa. Janine was fleeing her abuser, coming to Iowa from a different state. When Janine walked in the door, she was covered in bruises, had a walking boot on, and was wearing a sling from having been thrown down a flight of stairs in the last brutal assault she experienced. She was exhausted. 

Janine wasn’t new to the experience of homelessness. She is chronically homeless, having experienced homelessness more than four times throughout her adult life, for more than 12 months. She came from a home where she watched her mother endure much abuse at the hands of her alcoholic father. Janine was responsible for raising her 4 younger siblings until she fled her home at 17, having decided living on the streets was safer than being at home.   

Janine bounced from house to house, getting into the life of crime and substance abuse. She was in and out of jail for theft charges, possession charges, and prostitution.  She relied on people that were unsafe to keep her alive, but Janine knew that she wasn’t living the life that she was meant to. For 10 years she was a victim of human trafficking, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and when she came to Friends of the Family looking for help, she was out of hope.  

After an assessment with a team member, Janine was pulled into a program the next week. She was contacted by her case manager and a meeting time was arranged. Then Janine’s abuser found her, and she had to cancel the initial intake. Everyone feared for Janine’s safety, and no one was sure when or where she would show up. But three days later she called letting us know she had escaped and was in a secondary safe location where she could meet and complete the paperwork. We had already contacted some landlords on her behalf while waiting to hear from her, so when she resurfaced and was able to move, she got into an apartment outside of the area.  

Janine is thriving today. She is in therapy, medicated for the mental health issues that were created by the trauma she endured, working part time, and is a peer support for other women that are exiting domestic violence relationships. We are so proud to be a support for Janine in her journey! 

Lissa's story

This is Lissa...and where she was living when she connected with FOF.

Lissa had been with her partner for several long years, enduring both physical and emotional abuse. She reached a point that she knew she would die if she stayed in that house. With no money, no support system, and nowhere to go, her solution was a storage unit.

This is the solution for many who are fleeing a violent home or struggling with homelessness. It is far from ideal, or even legal, but it is a safe space even for a short time.

She made a few phone calls and found an open space on the other side of town. While her partner was at work, she packed a few of her possessions and a couple household items in her car and headed for the pawn shop. There she was able to make enough cash to pay for one month’s rent in the storage unit.

The first time she drove into the storage unit lot to unload her car she felt apprehensive and scared. She had no idea how this was going to go, or if she was going to get caught, or maybe her partner would somehow find her, so many thoughts raced through her head. But she knew that she just needed some space and time away from the chaos of that house to figure out what to do next.

It was summertime, so those first few nights were so hot. And she didn’t dare open the door much, for fear that someone would notice. But even though it was hot, she was able to actually sleep…sleep without worrying that she would be woken up by being hit. But she knew she couldn’t stay here for long; this was just temporary.

After several weeks, Lissa reached out to Friends of the Family and was connected to a staff member who was able to get her right onto the prioritization list to await housing. In less than a week she was connected to a landlord whom she signed a lease with. Things moved so fast! She was also connected to several community resources to help with food, furniture, necessities, and her mental health needs.

We are excited to share the Lissa has been in her apartment for almost a month and is doing very well. She is currently job seeking, attending to a few medical needs, and has gained some confidence and self-esteem back.

Lissa shared, "I am so thankful for your help in getting me into an apartment of my own. When I left, I didn't know what was going to happen, I just knew I had to get out. Thank you for continuing to support me while I get this all figured out."

Erica's story

Erica had been surviving on the streets most of her adult life. Her trauma started early on. She never knew a stable home, the comfort of a loving family, or the feeling of safety that comes with that. In her early elementary years, she was a victim of human trafficking. And that led to a childhood riddled with mental, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of several people that came in and out of her life throughout the years.

In adulthood, her struggles with mental health kept her in a cycle of moving back and forth from homeless shelters to the streets. Without a stable base, she was never able to maintain employment for long, which meant that she could not find and maintain housing on her own.

In a gas station, Erica saw a FOF poster for an upcoming night outreach event, where staff would be out walking the streets to connect with people who were experiencing homelessness. And she decided right then that she would seek out FOF to get help.

After reaching out, FOF did an assessment, and it was determined that it was not safe for Erica to remain in her current situation, and she was offered safe shelter and accepted. Her stay in shelter is supporting her growth mentally and physically, and she was recently able to start the housing process. Erica was also connected with multiple community resources to support her in this process.

Erica’s self-esteem is growing, and she is feeling more self-confident every day. She is set to move into her very own apartment soon and is excited for this new chapter in her life.

Erica shared, "I am so thankful for the support that FOF has given me. My life has been so hard, and the road ahead will also be bumpy, but for the first time in my life I feel happy."

Carrie's Story

Carrie is a mother of three, who moved to Iowa from Kentucky after fleeing a violent household. When they first arrived, Carrie was able to find a job and a home on her own. But very soon after settling in, she found out that she had sustained head trauma from the abuse she endured.

Carrie had been so focused on finding safety for herself and children for so long, that she had not been focusing on her own physical health. She became unable to work due to her injuries, and resulted in her falling behind on her rent. Carrie and her children were now facing another crisis, eviction. If she couldn’t pay her back due rent, they would get evicted and have to return to Kentucky...closer to her abuser.

Carrie was referred to Friend of the Family by her doctor’s office. Once connected, she completed an assessment with a housing support specialist. In a month, Carrie was pulled into a housing program, where we were able to pay her back due rent as well as rent for the next few months, allowing her to get back on her feet. Without the stress of homelessness lingering over her, Carrie was able to apply for health insurance and was able to see a specialized doctor about her injuries. Carrie finally got the medical care she needed to heal and eventually get back to work. Now, Carrie can focus on her family in a safe home away from her abuser.

Carrie shared, "Working with Friends of the Family has been such a great experience. Without your support, my children and I would have been evicted and had nowhere to go. We are thankful for our home and your help in keeping us there."

Hope's Story

Hope was a single mother of 2 young boys. She had a life that no one would willingly want to live. She fell victim to substance abuse to numb the pain of childhood trauma, domestic violence, sexual assault, and losing her children to the system due to multiple arrests and being unable to successfully pass drug tests. Hope eventually lost her housing and was subjected to life on the streets, being forced to do things she did not want to do, to have something to eat, a floor to sleep on or a garage to sleep in. Hope stayed in the vicious cycle of doing things that are considered to be risky because, “when you have nothing and you are trying to survive on the streets, you do what you have to do to get by.”  

Hope had enough of life on the streets and reached out to Friends of the Family to see how we could help. An advocate spoke with Hope and after getting a little background, completed an assessment with her. Hope was soon pulled into the Rapid Housing Initiative of North Iowa housing program and was found a cozy 1 bedroom apartment to move into. The case manager worked closely with Hope, building her home from nothing into a safe place for her children, whom she hoped to get back quickly.  

After finding housing and with the support of her case manager, Hope regained contact with her children and was able to start having supervised visits with them. She then found out she was pregnant, and Hope knew this time things would be different. She was connected to other agencies in her area and began her sober living program. She worked with Friends of the Family staff to gain employment and consistently met with her case manager to increase her mental and physical health stability. With clean drug tests, a home, a job, and a stable healthy relationship, Hope was able to go from supervised to unsupervised visits with her boys. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl and remained sober and employed.  

Hope was successfully exited from the RHI-NI program after 9 months. She moved into a house that was more than big enough for her family and graduated from supervised visits to unsupervised visits to full custody of all 3 of her children. Hope continues to be independent in the community, she is still gainfully employed, still sober, and still in a healthy relationship raising her children that are now flourishing in the care of their mother.  

Hope now makes referrals to Friends of the Family, gives back to her community through volunteering, and is proud of herself and where she came from. She attributes her success to having empathetic people believing in her ability to rise into the woman she never thought she could be and stays connected with Friends of the Family Housing Support Staff.  

Hope shared, "I never thought I would be happy again, and I finally am. I am so proud of how far I have come and know I couldn't have done it alone. Thank you FOF!"

Vicky's story

When Vicky first became aware of Friends of the Family and the services we provide, she was living on the streets and actively using drugs. She was seeking rental assistance, but not interested in any other services, such as referrals to a homeless shelter. Vicky had several needs but was hesitant to accept help to move forward.

After working with a Friends of the Family housing support specialist, Vicky began to find hope in her situation, and decided that entering a homeless shelter was her best move. She addressed her addiction, and after several weeks of sobriety, she was able to work towards establishing a safe home for herself where she could continue to work toward positive change. With the support of her specialist, she was able to get connected with several community resources, who worked with FOF to provide her with the assistance to secure housing of her own.

Vicky has just recently been given the keys to her new unit and will move in shortly. She feels confident that she will be able to maintain her home moving forward, and is excited for a stable future where she will work towards several personal goals she has set for herself.  

Vickie shared, “Thank you FOF for the support and guidance you gave me through this process. There was a time that I didn’t see a future for myself or a home of my own. I am so thankful and excited to be moving in soon!”

Jamie's Story

For ten years Jamie spent her time in and out of shelters and on the streets while fleeing domestic violence. With no other options, she did not always know where she would sleep from one night to the next. What Jamie wanted was to find housing of her own where she could feel safe, but she did not know where to go for help until she heard about Friends of the Family.  

When Jamie first reached out for help, we determined that there was a great need for ongoing case management, due to a lack of education, no support system, and years of trauma. We first began by supporting her during her housing search. We were able to connect her with a landlord who was willing to work with her. After obtaining housing, Jamie was able to begin working on life skills and learning how to complete daily tasks independently. Her housing support specialist worked with her to help her develop life skills necessary for long-term success. Soon, her confidence began to increase, and she was able to work through barriers on her own.

Jamie has now been successfully housed for four months, and during that time has grown in her ability to be self-sufficient in daily tasks that are important for her ongoing housing stability. She has worked hard with the guidance of her housing support specialist to prepare herself for maintaining housing long-term. After all she has experienced, she looks forward to setting and attaining even more goals as she continues her journey. 

Jamie shared, "I am so thankful for the support and guidance I received from FOF. I am finally in a place in my life that I feel safe, happy, and excited for my future."

Samantha's Story

Samantha met her abuser when she was young, they moved in together and started building their lives. He treated her with love and respect until one day things changed. He became increasingly more violent and short-tempered with Samantha. He grew jealous and possessive, always checking on her and questioning her every move. Samantha started to stay home more, and even stopped working due to his constant harassing. He had embarrassed her on several occasions at work, and even shown up unannounced demanding to see her in the middle of her shifts as a CNA.

Things escalated to their breaking point one night when her abuser choked her, threw her out of their apartment and down the hallway stairs. He locked her out of their apartment without any of her belongings and refused to let her back in, so she went to stay with a friend. No matter where Samantha ended up, her abuser would find her. He would blow-up her phone from blocked numbers and try to make her feel guilty for leaving by threatening suicide. She needed a safe place of her own to start rebuilding. Samantha heard about Friends of the Family’s services online and after months of bouncing between friends’ houses, she decided to give us a call.

Samantha was pulled into a program and given the financial reassurance to go full force into her housing search. She found a unit all in just one week. The unit had outside security that prevented her abuser from entering the building, even if he did find out where she was living. This gave Samantha a sense of safety that she hadn’t had for years. After finding housing, Samantha was able to set and achieve goals in other aspects of her life. She connected with a comprehensive domestic violence program to help her work through her trauma and heal from the violence she’d experienced. She started working with a local employment agency to renew her CNA license and was able to get back to the career she loved. Samantha’s power and control was taken from her for so long and finding housing of her own was the first step in taking it back.

Samantha shared, "FOF helped me find a safe place to live - I am forever grateful. I was ready to give up, but FOF gave me hope. I now have my own place and a good job, I couldn't have done it without FOF's support."