Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a Maggie’s Place mom? We recently got a letter from a mom telling us what it’s like. It’s another point of view…
“Dear Maggie’s Place,
When I first got to Maggie’s Place, I was desperate and had no hope for my life. I had no future. I was thinking, “This is the end of my life.” How could I take care of my baby if I couldn’t take care of myself? I was living in a shelter, and a friend told me to call Maggie’s Place and ask them if they had any openings. I was pregnant, tired and had to spend all day on the street. When I called Maggie’s Place I did an intake with Tracy. At that time, I spoke little English, but I knew I had to try. Tracy welcomed me and gave me a place to stay.
When I got to The Michael House, it was amazing. If I compared here to the place I was living in, this was home. This was like my family. Everyone took care of me, and I finally had peace in my heart. It was a safe, clean place. When I came to the house, I didn’t have anything. I only had my clothes and my shoes. At The Michael House, my life changed. I had everything I needed–clothes, food, and all the facilities. Especially the relationships I had in my community.
My first goal was to see that my baby would have a good life. I wanted to take care of her. Another goal was to make my future. The Michael House gave me hope that I could have a good life. Counseling encouraged me to change my mind and think positively. Then, I started to think, “I can go back to school, I can find a job and I can take care of me and my baby.” I saw myself becoming a strong woman who could handle anything, and who could resolve all the issues in my life. I wanted to be independent and work hard to make my future perfect.
While at Maggie’s Place, I had my baby, Naysa. Naysa is a beautiful baby. She learns so quickly. She is my blessing. I also went back to school. I got a job. I got my car back and I was accepted into Homeward Bound. Now that I’ve started a job, I’ve started to build my credit again and opened a bank account.
I don’t consider Maggie’s Place an organization, I consider it my mom. Even a mom would not let you stay and not pay any bills. Maggie’s Place rescued my life and my baby’s life. Even when I go to live in another place, I will keep coming back to visit Maggie’s Place and take classes at Fiat because I don’t want to miss my family.
Thank you very much,
Chantal”
