Sarah

When Sarah first came to the Homeless Alliance, she arrived with two young children and nowhere else to turn.

She was fleeing domestic violence, navigating homelessness, and caring for her daughter, Allison, who had significant medical needs. Allison was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate and recently underwent her 25th surgery.

“All I had were my kids, my faith, and the clothes on my back,” she said. “The Homeless Alliance was a blessing.”

Sarah at the Homeless Alliance where she surprised her case manager with Pay It 4Ward.

For years, Sarah faced many more challenges, including her own health issues. Through it all, she says one thing made the biggest difference: knowing she wasn’t alone.

“I don’t really have any family,” she says. “You guys have been there for me.”

Since connecting with case management, Sarah has moved into stable housing, welcomed her youngest son, and built a safer future for her family. Now, she’s preparing to “graduate” from the housing program that helped her get there, and she says she’s more self-sufficient than ever.

 “Nobody turned their backs or ran away when it got hard,” she says. “Knowing that I could call my case manager made me feel supported and gave me hope.”

Sarah also surprised Crystal Shafer, her most recent case manager, with a nomination to KFOR's Pay It 4Ward. Click here to watch the segment.

“She’s given me a whole new take on life, and I really appreciate everything she does," she told KFOR about Crystal. "From bringing food to checking on me, she’s an excellent person all the way around. ”

Today, Sarah encourages others who are experiencing homelessness and domestic violence and connecting them to resources whenever she can.

“A lot of people don’t know how to get help, but nobody deserves to be stuck,” she says. “I tell them, ‘If I can do it, you can do it too.’”

Stories like Sarah's are possible because of a community of supporters like you that believes everyone deserves stability, safety, and a place to call home. Thank you for your support.