Today, Arica has built a stable life for her family—something she fought hard to achieve. But 22 years ago, when she found out she was pregnant with twins, she was facing housing instability.
For someone who had spent much of her life navigating the foster care system on her own, asking for help wasn’t easy. Born and raised in Washington, DC, learning early how to survive without consistent support. When she aged out of foster care at 18, she entered adulthood on her own. Still, she held on to one belief: her life could be bigger than her circumstances.
She was living from couch to couch and even sometimes on the streets of Washington DC. She later enrolled into Job Corps where she met her husband and at 21 she found out she was pregnant with twins.
Her twin pregnancy came with complications made it clear she needed to slow down and focus on her health, but without knowledge of available resources, she was trying to manage it all on her own.
Towards the end her pregnancy she was referred to Virginia Williams Family Resource Center and then to Community of Hope, where she was able to access emergency shelter at Girard Street.
For the first time in a long time, Arica had both a place to stay and people to turn to.
“I knew my life wasn’t going in the direction it should, and it was up to me to make the right choices. I realized I didn’t have to be a product of my environment.”
While living in shelter, she enrolled in school, found employment, and she focused on being a mom.
She transitioned to our Permanent Supportive Housing and she secured her first apartment.“It was such a great feeling because it gave me hope again,” she said. “Just knowing that my boys were going to be safe, with a roof over their heads gave me a wonderful feeling.”
With stable housing and ongoing support, Arica was able to focus on healing, parenting, and her long-term goals. Her case manager became someone she could rely on, offering encouragement and helping her build confidence in her decisions.
Arica’s journey didn’t stop there.
While raising her children, she earned both her associate and bachelor’s degrees. Now, she is working toward her Master of Social Work and maintains a 4.0 GPA. She is also a self-published author, using her voice to promote healing and strengthen connections between parents and children.
Today, Arica is a proud mother of three—18-year-old twin sons and a 13-year-old daughter.
Growing up, she was often told that cycles are hard to break. She proved that wrong.
Now, her family has the stability she once fought to find.
“My children feel safe here. I feel safe here,” she said. “It’s just a blessing!”
