My daughter’s 10. She’s already had to endure more than any of us should ever have to in a lifetime. I’m a single mom — again. First, her father left us, then her stepfather sexually abused her — for years. She had really bad anxiety which made it hard for her to go to school regularly. She wouldn’t talk about her feelings or leave my side.
Then someone told me about HOPE – it stands for Healing & Overcoming Through Personal Empowerment, and it’s offered through Family Plus. I nearly cried when I found out that because of the United Way, we could get the support we needed, at a cost we could afford.
After years of being on social assistance, I now have a full-time job I really like. The biggest thing for me though, was when my daughter was able to appear in court, face her abuser, and finally say his name out loud. Now she knows it wasn’t her fault. He’s now behind bars and we’re finally able to move on with our lives.
This is what HOPE looks like.
You too can help other kids find hope. Donate today.