This holiday season, we are happy to share that 2019 was a successful year for so many of our clients and families. One story of success — which was made possible through your support — is riddled with adversity, misfortune, perseverance and hope. This is Kristi’s story.    

Kristi was born in Idaho and experienced frequent displacement through the state foster care system. She was eventually adopted by a family and spent her teenage years in North Carolina before settling in New Mexico later in life. A recovering addict and mother to two children, Kristi began experiencing homelessness as a result of compounding circumstances out of her control — a common cause for most cases of homelessness. Kristi was also pregnant with her third child and was struggling to provide the guidance and love that her two other children needed. To make a difficult situation worse, her baby Elias arrived early with a rare, life-threatening health condition. At 6 weeks old, Kristi discovered that Elias was abused by her boyfriend, suffering a broken arm and several broken ribs. Overnight, Kristi lost the man she thought she loved and realized that she needed support to rebuild a safe, stable life for her family.   

Heading Home began working with Kristi and met her where she was along her journey by helping her obtain custody of her son, and eventually moving her and Elias into supportive transitional housing. Kristi is now living in a home where she spent her first Holiday season with Elias and remains in close contact with Heading Home staff as she continues her journey toward permanent housing. 

The journey home for our clients is based on unique circumstances and looks different for each person, much like yours or mine would. The work of making sure that everyone has a home to go to — regardless of behavioral, mental or any other circumstance — is what Heading Home is all about.

Right now, at this moment, our Westside Emergency Housing Center is providing shelter to hundreds of people — families and individuals alike — and our Opportunity Center is sheltering one hundred more. We are only able to continue providing these and other lifesaving services through your gifts.

As we close out this year and welcome the beginning of 2020, will you please pledge to continue supporting Heading Home in our work to house people experiencing homelessness? Click here to give!