New Year, New Beginnings
A winding path leads Jodie and her children to their very own doorstep in Auburn, NY
Finding a safe place to call home has been a struggle for Jodie for most of her life. Both of her parents passed away when she was young and she grew up in the Office of Children and Family Services programs. She says she was on her own on her 18th birthday without direction on how to go about life. She had a sister in Auburn who was two years older, so she took a bus to Auburn to stay with her.
"She guided me the best she could but I also chose some wrong paths in life."
JodieJodie says she always strived to do better. Jodie eventually married and started a family. She was living in South Carolina and found herself in an unsafe relationship. Seeking a safe place, she decided to return home to Auburn where she grew up.
Returning to Auburn wasn’t easy. Without a place to stay, she and her children were homeless. She connected with the local Department of Social Services, and the family was temporarily placed in a hotel. The cramped conditions weren’t ideal but at least it was roof over their heads.
After several months of living in the hotel, she received a call from the Auburn Rescue Mission. A 3-bedroom unit was able for Jodie and her family, and they were able to move in quickly. “I felt so welcomed,” she said. “They treated us like family, and this was our home. It was an easy transition for the children from being homeless.”
Once they were settled into the apartment, Jodie began working on the next steps of rebuilding her life. A few months after arriving at the Rescue Mission, she secured her own apartment, and achieved her goal of finding a full-time, work-from-home job.
This holiday season Jodie, her two daughters, son and grandson celebrated in their new home. She felt grateful and blessed to celebrate in her own place after the struggles of the past year and is thankful for all of the support from the Auburn Rescue Mission.
"The program is really great and it really touched my life."
JodieThe Rescue Mission honored Jodie for her achievements with a Hope Award presented at the Rescue Mission Hope Awards held in November. “To see me go through a struggle and to be able to overcome it, I hope that gives other people hope.” she said. “I always kept hope to become something better than what I was.”
Jodie is now able to look towards the future. She is glad that her children are in a great school, and she hopes they can finish out their education in Auburn. She also would like to purchase her own home. “I just really want to create a home for myself and my kids,” she said.
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