Meet Lacey
My journey has been pretty rough. It took a lot of patience and still takes a lot of patience. There are a lot of roadblocks all the time, but overall, it’s been extremely worth it. Having my kids by my side makes all the difference for me.
Some of the challenges I’ve faced are severe homelessness and not having a great support system or an outlet to turn to for help with anything. I feel like I’ve been doing this on my own for a really long time. I am now five years clean and sober; I’m never going back to that lifestyle.
I felt like it was ‘go time’ for me. I started reaching out to see what our options were and I did everything I could to get into housing. It was kind of miracle because it happened close to Christmas. Just to be together for the holidays and to celebrate a Christmas with my kids after two years of not seeing them was amazing for me. To see them light up coming down the staircase and see all the presents around the Christmas tree here in their own house was an amazing moment for me. I'm very grateful for this home and to not be sleeping outside with my kids somewhere else.
Once I got connected with Furnish Hope, my expectations were to receive furniture. I thought it was going to be a one-time thing. When they came back multiple times, I realized that they actually cared. I didn't really expect anything beyond furniture, and they gave me so much more. They gave me hope.
I’d never seen this many people show up to lend a helping hand. People who I didn’t even know were going out of their way to give time and to do something nice for a stranger. It was really comforting for them to have my back.
What it means to me to have a home is really my entire life. Being homeless, I was always missing that piece, wishing I could have my family around me in a secure spot. When you don’t have a place to stay, your whole life is up in the air, and you don’t even know what you’re going to do next.
For us to have a home meant the world to me. It gave us security. It gave us our family back. We’re able to be close. My kids feel safe and comfortable which they didn’t feel just a few months ago. It means everything to me just to have a home.
Furnish Hope has given me hope by continuing to have a part in my life. I feel like they've given me the ability to trust again and to be able to turn to people for help or just someone to talk to. It’s awesome. I really can’t even put into words how grateful I am for everything they have done.
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