Stories of Impact
At 23 years old, Franchesca was a single mom navigating difficult relationships and did not have a local support system or stable housing. At the time, she was staying at a shelter with her young daughter and was hoping for the support she needed to make a change. The shelter referred her to Haven House Services’ Transition in Place (TIP) program. She said once she connected with Haven House, her life drastically changed.
Meet Diana
A 19-year-old single mother with an infant daughter, Diana was struggling with family issues and did not have stable housing. She said she knew that she needed to make her situation better for her and her child. After connecting with Haven House Services’ Transition in Place program, Diana was able to transition into safe and stable housing, build skills, and get support needed to sustain housing and find long-term success.
Meet Jordan
In his teens, Jordan got involved with the wrong crowd. He started getting in trouble. All of that changed when he started coming to Haven House’s Second Round boxing program – an afterschool, intervention program that uses boxing and fitness to help youth build skills needed to overcome challenges and find success outside of the gym.
Hear how Jordan says Second Round changed his life by watching this short video:
Meet Carmela
15-year-old Carmela constantly felt stressed by the pressures of school and life. She was often angry. So she looked for something to do after school that would help her “escape” her worries. Carmela found what she needed at Haven House’s Second Round program. The program uses boxing and fitness to help youth find a positive path. Carmela says the program has helped her become stronger – physically and mentally.“Second Round has made me more confident in myself,” she says. “The workouts showed me that I can accomplish things I didn’t know I could. I am healthier and less stressed … I still get mad, but Second Round helped me learn how to control my anger.”
And Carmela’s future is as bright as the smile she is hiding behind her gloves. “I want to coach others, get good grades, and go to college.And I want to use what I’ve learned in Second Round to help me along the way.”
Watch ABC11’s story on Carmela and Second Round:
https://tinyurl.com/carmelastory
Meet Darryl
More than 15 years ago, Darryl was homeless and in a situation he thought he couldn’t get out of. The day he found Haven House is the day that he started to feel some hope and began to see a path forward. Haven House was in his corner.
You can watch a short video about Darryl’s journey below:
Meet Luke
Luke was having a tough time when his parents decided to get a divorce. Not only did it affect his relationship with his mother, it had changed his family dynamic. At 16, he began running away and skipping school. Luke was then introduced to the Haven House Juvenile Diversion Team. When he first came into the program, he was withdrawn and apprehensive to open up. After a few meetings with his case manager, he realized that he had a caring adult in his corner that he could trust to help him set goals for the future. Luke is now focused on continuing to keep good grades and attending all of his classes. He has also decided to take part in extracurricular activities and is enjoying playing on the baseball team. While Luke still has some tough days, his case manager says that his outlook has changed dramatically, his positivity is infectious, and he is moving in an exciting direction.
Meet Tyeshia
Tyeshia found hope and a chance for a new beginning at Haven House Services. On the verge of being homeless, Tyeshia connected with Haven House’s Street Outreach Program, which in turn referred her to the agency’s Transition in Place program. That program helped Tyeshia and her two young children find and move into an apartment. Haven House helped Tyeshia find child care, enroll in GED classes, find a job and build parenting and independent living skills. Tyeshia hopes to become a nursing assistant, and we are honored to be part of her journey to a brighter future. You can watch a short video about Tyeshia’s journey below:
Meet Evan
When Evan was young, his father died. During his teenage years, his relationship with his mother and family became difficult and complicated. At 17, he ran away. After sleeping outside for a few days, Evan told a caring adult about his situation and eventually came to Haven House Services’ Wrenn House shelter – the only temporary shelter in the Triangle area for youth ages 10-17 who are homeless or in crisis.
Evan stayed at Wrenn House for several weeks while staff helped him to set goals for his future and worked with him and his mother to figure out a safe, stable housing plan. During his stay at Wrenn House, Evan became more confident. Eventually, he enrolled in a residential job training program and plans to return home upon completion. He says he is thankful every day for the help he found at Wrenn House.
Meet Sasha
Sasha, an 18-year-old high school senior, had a lot on her mind when she came to Haven House Services. While juggling the everyday stresses of homework and school life, Sasha was homeless and living out of her car. Haven House’s Street Outreach team assessed her needs and connected her with services, including Haven House’s Transition in Place program (TIP). The
TIP program helps youth ages 18-22 who are experiencing homelessness find housing and build independent living skills. Sasha’s TIP case manager helped her find and move into an apartment, with the program providing rental assistance.
Sasha’s case manager also helped Sasha connect with resources for food, health insurance, and furniture for her new apartment. Sasha maintained employment throughout her 12 months in the program. She eventually applied and was accepted into a local university with housing. We are honored to be part of Sasha’s journey and know she will accomplish great things!
Sasha’s story was featured on the cover of our 2018-2019 Annual Report.