After the courageous act of leaving her abuser, Kristina found herself experiencing houselessness with her two daughters and temporarily living in a shelter within a hotel in D.C. The shelter’s location meant a long commute to the girls’ school. During that commute, Kristina’s abuser would appear and threaten her. Despite Kristina’s reports to the police and her restraining order, her abuser continued to show up. The constant danger and fear continued until Kristina and her daughters came to House of Ruth.
Two years ago, Kristina and her daughters moved into Families First II, House of Ruth permanent supportive housing for survivors of domestic violence. Through the Families First program, participants are provided housing and connected to case management services such as counseling, life skills training, and job readiness training. All these services are provided at no-cost thanks to our government partners and community of donors.
With newfound security and support system provided by House of Ruth’s staff, Kristina began her journey toward long-term independence including education and professional training. Today, Kristina has earned both a medical assistant certification and a medical office administration certification. She is finishing up the requirements to earn an electronic medical records certification. With these significant accomplishments, Kristina looks forward to beginning a career in the healthcare industry.
The transformation extends to Kristina’s daughters, who are both thriving. A high school senior, her oldest daughter Mia* is a thoughtful, accomplished young woman who recently wrote an essay on the struggles and challenges of experiencing houselessness while in school. In addition to her writing abilities, Mia’s strong grade point average made others take notice—she was accepted by eight colleges! She has recently made the decision to attend a local university.
“House of Ruth has helped me be the best me that I can be for myself and for my children,” Kristina shared. When living with her abuser and then the shelter, Kristina did not feel that going back to college or having a career were options. The housing provided by House of Ruth provided a space to create a home that was safe and supportive. Kristina says the support system they have now through House of Ruth makes her feel like the sky is the limit–“being able to live, and to live safely, has just been awesome.”
Kristina and her family’s lives are one of many that are transformed when you support House of Ruth. Thank you for being our partners in providing the safety and support all our women, children, and families deserve and need to heal from trauma and abuse.
*Name has been changed.
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