Teresa - Emergency Family Shelter

Five years ago Teresa was a woman in crisis. Her divorce, overdue bills and the eviction from her home had left her on the verge of breakdown. She was struggling to make ends meet and keep herself and her eight-year-old son, Emmanuel, off the streets. After exhausting every other option, and with no one else willing to help her, Teresa turned to The Salvation Army's Emergency Family Shelter, a facility housing women and children for 90 days, where she found hope, healing and a mission for a healthy life.

Five years later, the memory of the desperate woman, who could not afford to keep the lights turned on, is nothing more than a figment of the past. Teresa applied the life lessons learned at the shelter to her daily life and now holds a steady job, manages the bills, lives in a beautiful home, owns a car and enjoys watching Emmanuel make excellent grades as a seventh grader.

Teresa considers her rehabilitation at the shelter a blessing, even though it proved to be quite an adjustment at first. The case workers at The Salvation Army helped her set goals and create a plan to get her back on her feet. She participated in educational and parenting classes, where she gained many skills needed for daily life, such as managing money. She also gained a new-found spiritual motivation by attending church services.

"The Salvation Army, the Lord and Emmanuel helped me survive the storm," said Teresa. "There were many days and nights I felt like giving up, but their strength helped me find my path again."

Teresa gives back to The Salvation Army's Emergency Family Program by mentoring other women in the shelter facing similar hardships. Once a week she shares her inspiring story to motivate them on their journey to recovery, and to prove that there is still hope for a better life.