For years, she used substances to get through every day. She’d lost custody of her child and worked the streets to support herself, sleeping wherever she could find an empty bed or couch. She was lost and confused.
She came to the Drop-in Center after we opened in 2016. She came often and though she wasn’t ready for life change, we were able to feed and clothe her, pray for her and encourage her to see who God made her to be.
In 2022 she hit rock bottom. And that was the beginning of a journey that was sometimes difficult, many times challenging and ultimately successful. She began working to regain custody of her child – even though the obstacles looked insurmountable.
Today, she’s in her own apartment where she feels safe and at peace. She’s comfortable with the stability she has and no longer deals with substance use. She has a job she loves and finds joy in cooking in her own kitchen.
And the icing on the cake?
She regained custody of her child, and is enjoying everything about being a mom again.
Natalie’s Sisters never posts or uses an identifiable photograph or name of a Sister on social media.
There are many Sisters who would willingly tell their story publicly. But recognizing they’ve been victimized, we instead craft narratives and choose photographs that - while authentic in scope and meaningful to our audience - are non-identifying.
We do that in order to avoid retraumatizing anyone.
With that in my mind, please remember: any photo that’s identifiable is a stock photo, and any name used is a made-up name that allows us to communicate more clearly.