Stories of Hope

“Once Community of Hope’s temporary housing program was explained to me, it gave me hope and I knew I wouldn’t be alone. It was a relief to me.” Myiesha Little, a DC resident, and stay-at-home mother of three, felt the strain of providing for her family as a sole provider after her partner experienced multiple severe health issues. As with so many District families, these health issues created a troubling rippling situation of financial and housing instability. Before being confronted with health issues, Myiesha’s partner worked full-time and served as the sole financial provider while she managed the household.

When Erin Davis found out she was expecting her second child, a birth center delivery was non-negotiable.

“When I gave birth to my first son at a hospital, it was a horrible experience. I had no support from the doctor. He did not care at all. I was just a number [to him].”

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Updated: June 8, 2020

“The statistics show that maternal mortality affects those of us in this community the most. Mortality rates are much higher for African American mothers than for any other nationality and so with this neighborhood being predominately black, why wouldn’t a center be here? Why wouldn’t we raise more awareness around it so that as women become mothers, they know they have other optionsoutside of going straight to a hospital?”

Erica Hagans, a DC resident and mother of two, connected with Community of Hope’s Rapid Re-housing program after facing continued challenges with securing stable housing. Erica and her children bounced between living in a shelter and with family or friends.
The continual transitions associated with unstable housing took a tremendous toll on her family, especially when Erica experienced two significant losses – both her mother and grandmother.

When 21-year-old Daeja Kennerly moved into The Triumph, she knew that her challenging journey with unstable housing was finally going to change. For several years, Daeja and her three young kids experienced homelessness – from living with different family members to securing housing only to face eviction shortly after. Unfortunately, this part of Daeja’s life had seemed never-ending and hopeless.

The day Star Douglas and her son moved into their new apartment was full of gratitude. “I felt a massive amount of relief when we moved into our place. A whole world of pain was released off of my shoulders.” The pain for Star started when she was just a child. Her mother abandoned her and then her father sold her to a stranger so he could pursue a career in music. For the next few years, Star was subjected to neglect, mistreatment, and abuse. When her father returned and took her to live with her grandmother, she thought things would finally get better.

Give the gift of a bright holiday to children and families experiencing homelessness by donating to our Adopt-A-Family program. With your gift of a Target or Walmart gift card (in increments of $25), parents have the opportunity to choose how they will best make this season brighter for their families by purchasing a meal and/or gifts.

Anthony and Mari Baylor and their two sons, Khaiyel, 6, and Kyando, 12, entered Community of Hope’s transitional housing program in 2018, after having endured many obstacles as a family. Before Community of Hope, the Baylors faced housing instability challenges that forced them to live with family, in condemned apartments and even motels.

“Community of Hope has put me in the position where I can start giving back, now as a teenager still in my community,” said Shae’Lynn Ames, Community of Hope intern.