How one mother found safety and comfort in new beginnings
When Vernada, a mom of four, left Charlotte, North Carolina, she was focused on one thing—keeping her family safe.
“Life there didn’t feel safe anymore,” she said. She was leaving a relationship that had become violent and knew she needed to create a stable foundation for herself and her children.
“I needed real support to start over,” she said.
That support was in Washington, DC, where her mother lives, and her oldest daughter was attending college. One morning in May, Vernada gathered her three youngest children and boarded the Megabus bound for DC.
“All we had was one suitcase, two small carry-ons with snacks, and my baby’s cans of milk,” she said.
After arriving, Vernada and her children stayed with a family member who welcomed them in. As their family member’s situation began to change, it became difficult to continue supporting Vernada and the children. Within a short time, Vernada found herself experiencing homelessness and was connected with the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center, which referred to Community of Hope for housing support. Her family stayed at The Triumph, a short-term family shelter, where they had space to plan their next steps.
While staying at The Triumph, Vernada accessed services that helped her rebuild. Her family enrolled in Community of Hope’s dental program, signed up for nutrition support through WIC, and got help applying for Social Security benefits for her son Who has epileptic seizures. She also completed an application to a local community college and began exploring an EMT/EMS program.
Vernada was grateful for the support. “They had resources I didn’t even know were available. That support made such a difference,” she said.
In early February, after months of waiting, she got the call. Her family had been approved for housing.
She credits her case manager, Lia, for helping make the process manageable.
Her children didn’t know they were moving until the day they walked through the door of their new apartment.
“I told them I had a surprise,” she said.
When they stepped inside, she felt it immediately.
“My oldest son just said, ‘Oh yeah… we’re home,’” she said laughing.
“This is it,” she said. “I’m home.”
Now, the biggest change is the freedom that comes with having her own space. She can cook again. Her kids can play freely. She can come and go without restrictions.
“That’s a relief,” she said.
For Vernada, hope is trusting yourself, even when the path isn’t clear. “You just have to follow what feels right,” she said. “And keep going.”
