Giving Hope to Families

“Last year, during the pandemic, I was evicted from my family home. I was distraught and had nowhere and no one to turn to. I found a shelter where I could stay, but they didn’t allow children there and I had to leave my son with his father. The shelter was rough and very scary. I had to adapt to survive such a tough environment. My life changed with one phone call. I was accepted into Visitation Homes, part of Catholic Social Services, in Kensington. God was truly answering my prayers. I qualified for a two-bedroom apartment and everything I needed was supplied by Visitation Homes. The women here come from domestic violence backgrounds, and I was suffering from bipolar disorder, anxiety, and PTSD. They gave me an environment to heal from the abuse I had suffered. I needed to find something I was passionate about, something to help me heal from my pain, so I enrolled in Community College, studying psychology. I wanted to emulate what I had at Visitation, pay it forward and help others the way the Case Managers here have helped me. Having my own apartment has made me feel independent and normal again. Being homeless is depressing – being in a situation where you can’t provide for yourself and don’t have privacy makes you feel forgotten. Visitation Homes changed my life. I now have dignity and pride; it is an honor to live here. Visitation is home. When you support the Catholic Charities Appeal, you are helping families in need get through some of the hardest times in their lives. Any amount will go a long way.” – Kim, Visitation Home, Resident G