 Everyone has a story. Tabitha’s began at age 3 when her mom left her father saying, “Tabitha is too much trouble to care for.” After struggling with alcohol addiction for over 20 years, Tabitha walked into the Careage House 6 months sober and determined to make a better life for herself.
Tabitha had always found housing, but had to escape a household that had become toxic and detrimental to her sobriety and well-being. She needed more reliability and security so that she could focus on finding employment, staying sober, and becoming self-sufficient. “I was seeking stability and safety - I found a second family at the Careage House” she said. The Careage house is the only emergency shelter for women and children in Decatur, providing more than 3,800 safe nights of sleep a year. Tabitha didn’t need the full resources of a 24-hour shelter, but knowing she could get a good night’s rest without fear of outside influences and dangers gave her the peace of mind to move forward. Today, she is flourishing. She works at both Blessingdale’s and the Downtown Cafe, secured a permanent apartment, and will be 6 years sober in April 2024 all on her own. “It’s not about what we go through, but how we deal with it,” Says Tabitha. We are proud not only to have helped her when she needed it most, but to continue to invest in her as our employee and friend.
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 Ushma was a 65-year-old grandmother who was caring for her 9-year-old grandson, Alm. They had been living in Chicago & came to Decatur because Ushma had been promised a job at a hotel. She was given an office and a mattress and was put to work for 16 hours a day.
Thankfully, the school that Alm began attending contacted God's Shelter of Love and asked if we could help. Of course, we took them into our shelter. Communicating was a challenge because Ushma & Alm were from India and spoke Hindi. One of our board members happened to have a neighbor that spoke Hindi. He generously spent many hours helping to translate Ushma's story. We found out that Ushma had custody of Alm because Alm's mother had been killed in India and his father had shaken him as an infant, to the point of causing brain damage. Alm had the mentality of a 4-year-old because of this. We worked with them to better understand their culture, their needs, and their goals. We provided shelter, resources, stability, and worked with Decatur Public Schools to address Alm's learning disability. Ushma & Alm stayed in our shelter for about three months as they found their footing and prepared for their big move to New Jersey. |
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