Bridgette worked 60-hour weeks at Amazon in Las Vegas to support herself and her son and she was tired. When her landlord raised her rent $200 per month, she couldn’t work any more hours. Now what? She thought about it and decided to move to Victorville to live with a relative. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out and she found herself at the shelter with her son, Jacob, where they have been since August.
The shelter provides everything a client needs during their stay. Clients are required to look for work and once they find employment, they are required to save their money so they can eventually afford a place of their own.
When asked how the shelter has helped her, she replied, “The shelter has made me more accountable for my own actions and helped me become more financially responsible. The staff will help you if you let them.”
Her case manager, Jennifer, strongly encouraged her to go back to school and she is now enrolled at VVC. She doesn’t have a major in mind yet but knows she wants to work with children.
Even though she and Jacob liked the shelter, with the holidays approaching, she decided to move back to Las Vegas and get her job back. Before she left, Marisol offered her the job of day manager. While it sounded good, Bridgette was familiar with Amazon and knew what was required of her. Working at the shelter was an unknown. When Marisol told her, “I see your heart and it is perfect for this job,” Brigette knew she was in the right place.
Jacob said, “Before coming here I didn’t really have a family. It was just me and my mom. It doesn’t feel like a shelter, it feels like maybe we’re at a big ol’ sleepover.”
Bridgette and Jacob have made the shelter their home for now. Bridgette is doing what she does best, encouraging and uplifting those around her while meeting the needs of the clients. For his part, Jacob has become like a big brother to the children at the shelter, helping them adjust to their new surroundings.
It’s hard to tell at this point who has made the biggest impact. The shelter on Bridgette and Jacob or Bridgette and Jacob on the residents of the shelter. Either way, they are grateful there was a shelter they could go to while they work to get their lives back on track.
Your donations enable us to continue to provide for those who just need a helping hand. Thank you for being that helping hand for Bridgette and Jacob.