One Day at a Time

One of our residents, Shirelle, came into my office last week to thank me for the car she was given. A donor gave us the car and we used some emergency funds to get it inspected and licensed so that she didn't have to clean out her savings.

I obviously hadn't given it to her, but she needed someone to thank. She wanted someone to know what it means for her and her son.

Having the car cuts her two hour daily commute in half. She does home health care and she was taking the bus from one client to the next. It limited her to only a couple of clients. The car also means she can go to an AA meeting every day on her lunch now. She'll mark her two year anniversary being clean and sober this summer. She goes for herself, for her 16 year old son, and for the people that she wants to encourage at the meetings.

Her thank you was one of those inspiring moments. Shirelle is taking her life back and she's making a better life for her son. He's a talented kid who has a much better future because of what his mom is doing.

- Laura Gray, Mar 25, 2009