“I suddenly found myself single with 2 small children, ages 1 and 2. I had no idea what I was going to do. How would I find a job? How would I find day care? How would I juggle work, the household chores and the children’s needs?”
These were the questions swirling around in Deborah’s (name changed) head as she faced eviction from her home. Most of us know that juggling work and parenthood is difficult under the best of circumstances, but when homelessness is added to the picture, the challenges can seem overwhelming and insurmountable. In that situation, we would all like to feel that there is a place to go for help.
Bridge of Hope Berks County is that safe haven. Bridge of Hope Berks County works to end and prevent homelessness for single mothers and their children. Bridge of Hope uses a 3-way partnership, consisting
Bridge of Hope Berks County is that safe haven. Bridge of Hope Berks County works to end and prevent homelessness for single mothers and their children. Bridge of Hope uses a 3-way partnership, consisting
of a) the family; b) the professional case manager who provides training and accountability; and c) a trained mentoring group from one local church who provide friendship and emotional support. Bridge of Hope also provides rental assistance on a decreasing basis for the 12-24 months that the family is in the
program. This rental assistance allows the mother to concentrate on getting training or education to land a job that will lead to a career. This holistic model allows the women to address all of the needs that brought her to homelessness.
The women in the Bridge of Hope program are bright and determined to provide a good life for their children. But, due to circumstances that are often beyond their control, such as the loss of a job or a spouse or a catastrophic illness, they find themselves and their children either living in a situation that was never intended to be permanent, or facing imminent eviction. They are lacking in the most basic needs we all have for safety, security and belonging. The Bridge of Hope Berks County program enables them to work toward economic, social and spiritual stability in a safe environment.
Listen to what Deborah has to say after graduating from the Bridge of Hope program: “The staff at Bridge of Hope helped me in many ways….they helped me to break down the overwhelming puzzle into manageable pieces that I could handle. They gave me the steps, goals and support for me to be on my way to becoming independent financially and emotionally. Now I don’t question whether I will make it….I have learned to take down the walls of mistrust I built from previous hurts and trust people again.” The staff helped Deborah to set life goals, and the mentoring group helped her to realize that she is not alone; there are many people who care about her. Deborah and her children learned to build relationships and become part of a larger community - a crucial step in the journey to stability.
