Stories of Hope
Shanjula
When Shanjula and her three children became homeless, she blamed herself and felt guilty for not being able to provide a safe place for her children. All she desired was to provide her family with something consistent and stable. Then, Shanjula found Family Gateway. She and her family arrived to the Center with nothing. Upon arrival, they moved into their own a room – a safe place to regain self-sufficiency. They were provided with basic necessities like food and toiletries – survival tools that most people take for granted. Shanjula received case management services to establish goals and to create a plan to achieve them, and her children had a stable, nurturing environment to learn and grow. She was overwhelmed by the love, compassion, and unity she felt at Family Gateway.
Today, Shanjula’s three children are either graduated or in college. Shanjula is working on her Masters degree and plans to start her own non-profit organization like Family Gateway to help change lives.
Alex*
In August of 2013, hard times hit Alex, his wife, and their three children. After losing his job, they moved from place to place trying to get their feet on solid ground. Alex and his family ended up at Family Gateway in the summer of 2015 and immediately felt a sense of security. His children had a stable place to grow and thrived in Family Gateway’s education and summer programming. Doors opened for Alex and his wife through case management services, enabling them to find jobs and to pay their outstanding bills.
Alex and his family now have their own place, and he and his wife have stable jobs. Alex is in the early stages of opening his own nonprofit to provide transportation for homeless elderly and veterans. He and his wife are grateful to Family Gateway for empowering them to regain self-sufficiency.
*This name has been changed to respect the privacy of the family.
Natalie*
At 18, Natalie had two young children and was struggling to make ends meet. She ran out of options and had no way to feed her family. That’s when Natalie heard about Family Gateway. As soon as she called, Natalie knew that Family Gateway was the agency to save her family. She could tell
that the wellbeing of her and her children was just as important to the staff at Family Gateway as it was to her; they felt comforted, loved, and respected at their new home. Natalie began taking adult classes while her children participated in the education and early childcare programs. Thanks to the case management services and budgeting classes, Natalie regained self-sufficiency and stability for her kids.
Today, Natalie works at Family Gateway, helping other families who come from similar situations. Every day, she seeks to encourage, inspire, motivate, listen, and provide hope to other children and families affected by homelessness.
*This name has been changed to respect the privacy of the family.
Miranda*
Miranda and her two children came to the Center after being evicted from their apartment. This was the first time Miranda and her family had experienced homelessness. Determined to transition into self-sufficiency, she quickly started job searching and got a job as a CNA at a rehab center. However, due to her recent eviction, a lot of apartments denied Miranda’s application.
Miranda developed a savings plan to pay back her previous landlord which helped her move into her own two bedroom apartment. Although Miranda worked long shifts, she prioritized her family and made sure that her children were enrolled in school and daycare. Her hard work was noticed by not only staff at Family Gateway but also her employer; Miranda was recently promoted as lead CNA.
*This name has been changed to respect the privacy of the family.
Theresa*
Theresa* remembers moving into the Annette G. Strauss Family Gateway Center as a young girl. Her mother was 21 and expecting her 3rd child. Her mother didn’t have any skills, and sadly her father was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Theresa and her mother and siblings were left out on the streets of Dallas…
…until Family Gateway took them in with open arms full of love and support. Theresa and her family moved into one of Family Gateway’s apartments. She was overjoyed to have her OWN room and a REAL bed. Wanting what was best for her and her children, Theresa’s mother cooked every night, helped them with their homework, and then read them a bedtime story. She attended life skills and parenting classes while her kids participated in afterschool and extracurricular activities.
Theresa has fond memories of the fun activities and events she participated in at Family Gateway. Theresa is now a college graduate with her own house, and she works for the Dallas Cowboys. To this day, Theresa proudly credits her success to Family Gateway for providing the support and stability her mother needed to regain self-sufficiency for their family.
*This name has been changed to respect the privacy of the family.