However, the days were getting colder, and Michelle knew she needed to find somewhere safe for her family over the winter. That’s when she learned about the Prevention and Diversion Program at Mel Trotter Ministries through the school her children attended.

Thankfully, Michelle’s mother let her family stay with her for a few weeks while she got back on her feet. While she was staying with her mother, Michelle was able to save money to put towards half of the deposit. We then looked to outside resources to help with the remainder of the costs, and a few local churches pitched in to help.

We were able to connect the family to housing resources and provided a food box to ease her grocery bill, so Michelle could focus on applying for housing and saving money for a security deposit. When dropping off the food box to Michelle, she gave our Diversion Specialist a big hug and thanked her for everything. But the greatest gift Michelle received was hope. “I have hope for the first time in a while that my situation will turn around,” Michelle said.

Thanks to your compassion, Michelle received her own miracle–a home for the holidays! We moved her family into their very own home just days before Christmas. Now, Michelle is stabilized in her house and working towards building a brighter future for herself and her children.