Meet Rachel

Rachel and her two children came to our shelter after fleeing an abusive relationship. She had finally found the courage to escape her husband. Unfortunately, even once she was brought to safety, Rachel could not help but have negative intrusive thoughts.

She started believing that she should have put up with the abuse since her husband had never touched the children. Rachel believed that enduring the abuse of her husband would have been a better option for her and her children than to be homeless.

The fear of homelessness for herself and her children nearly drew her back into an abusive house.

Staff was able to validate these feelings; they supported Rachel and encouraged her to respect her own value and safety, as much as her children. Rachel decided to work on herself and to work with the housing stability worker to find secure and permanent housing for her and her children. She was ready to escape the abuse – to find a permanent solution to keep herself and her children safe even if it meant enduring hard and unpredictable times.

Miraculously, Rachel was able to find housing within five days! With help from our staff, she found her voice again and re-learned to use it to become empowered.

We would like to thank the Delta Bingo and Gaming of Niagara Falls for all their help and support. It is with their help and support that success stories like Rachel’s are made possible. Thank you!