Testimonials
A few inspirational stories shared at our Homeless to Boldness 2024 Event!
Luz's Story
Luz came to CCA’s New HOPE Housing Program in September of 2022 with her two children: now a soon-to-be 13 year old daughter and a 6 year old son. Despite her seven-year work history as a cashier at a local pharmacy, Luz found herself in need of additional housing assistance following complications in her marriage.
Now, two years into the program, Luz believes that the most significant change in her life since joining New HOPE has been her relationship with her two kids. Before New HOPE, financial stress and demanding work hours strained the limited time she spent with them. However, Luz now feels that CCA has given her the gift of stability– a gift that has had a greater impact than she had ever anticipated.
“My mom has definitely changed a lot,” Luz’s daughter chimed in during our meeting. “And I’ve grown too…since being at [New HOPE], I go straight to my mom as soon as I come out of the school door. She’s the first person I see and the first person I hug.” For Luz and her daughter, the last two years are marked by their reconciliation and the transformation of their relationship with each other.
In addition to growing closer with her daughter, Luz is celebrating major victories in her career. Luz shared that she was recently promoted to supervisor at the pharmacy where she works, which she attributes to her strong work ethic, motivation, and desire to always keep learning. With the stability of secure housing, Luz also decided to study for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Exam, a nationally recognized credential that qualifies her for employment in any pharmacy across the United States and, now that she passed the exam on her first attempt, has already resulted in a pay increase in her current role as supervisor.
Looking ahead to the next year, Luz plans on obtaining her G.E.D., acquiring a driver’s license, and securing her own apartment for her and her two kids to move into after successfully exiting New HOPE next September.
Daneen's Story
Daneen came to New HOPE after she lost her housing during a difficult divorce. She didn’t want to jeopardize her chances of becoming a licensed nurse because of having a court case on her record, so she made the difficult decision of sending her 4 kids to live with family members while she lived in her truck for 4 months.
The New HOPE (Higher Opportunities, Purposes, Expectations) Housing Program—a Moving to Work Program in partnership with the New Haven Housing Authority—launched in August 2022 with the generosity of a committed donor. Daneen was one of the first move-ins following the program launch.
At New HOPE, Daneen began to rebuild. With housing and support, she was able to focus on her goals and make significant progress, including:
- Passing her nursing boards, something she had attempted twice before while experiencing homelessness and extreme stress
- Learning to save for the first time
- Caring full time for her 15 year old son, whose condition became critical a year after arriving at New HOPE (he was born at 26 weeks and had Subglottic Stenosis—a condition in which airways narrow, making it hard to breathe). Though Daneen lost a job because of the time needed to care for him, she navigated a path to become a paid caregiver
- Increasing her income by 129%
Daneen successfully left New HOPE this past March! Today, she works night shifts at a care facility while caring for her son during the day. Her vision for the future includes…
- Celebrating her oldest daughter’s graduation from high school in May, as she heads to the University of New Haven to study forensic science
- Enrolling in an online program to bridge from LPN to RN
- Starting a catering and meal prep business in memory of her mom, an amazing cook
- Connecting her son with a renowned specialist in Otolaryngology based out of Hartford and with a study that will allow him to get life-changing reconstruction surgery in July
- Exploring homeownership through the NACA Housing Program
Daneen shared three special phrases she holds onto:
- “[You just need] faith the size of a mustard seed”,
- “Believing without seeing”,
- “Don’t stay stuck…just keep going.”