Noreen
Homeless and desperate after escaping an abusive relationship, Noreen and her daughter came to a Women In Need shelter on a bitterly cold and rainy night. With all her possessions in a garbage bag, slung over her shoulder, and her three-year-old daughter waddling beside her in a wet oversized pink snowsuit, Noreen said it was the lowest point of her life.

She had wanted a loving childhood for her daughter unlike like the one she had, filled with violence, alcohol and emotional turmoil. Her father was an alcoholic and abused her mother. To this day, her own mother has never told Noreen that she loves her. Noreen was in and out of a home for girls as a child, but still managed to finish high school, go to college and get a job.

Unfortunately, Noreen married the wrong man, an abuser like her father. One night after a particularly violent incident, she left him. She had a job, an education and she was in her 30’s but she did not have anyone to help her when she needed just a little help. She wanted a better future for her child but found herself homeless because she could not manage to save enough for both childcare and first and last month’s rent needed for an apartment.

When Noreen came to WIN’s shelter, she learned that she could have a better life. She felt safe for the first time. In the WIN shelter, she took advantage of childcare and domestic violence counseling; did internships through the education and employment program and attended client advisory meetings; and participated in every possible workshop and family event. Noreen and her child are now in their own apartment, she is working in a job she loves and participating in WIN’s Family Friends aftercare program. Through these programs and services, she found caring people that she could count on. She says, “Now I have someone. I can pick up the phone, call my counselor, and tell her I need help. She does not ask any questions she just helps. In a family, that would be called unconditional love. As a kid, I didn’t get that but I’m getting that now. I know my daughter has a bright future. We went through some hard times but our experiences at WIN have shown me there is another way.”

With your help WIN will continue to provide Noreen and others like her, with the skills and services needed to help build a better life and achieve independence.

Mercy
Mercy became homeless when the apartment she was subleasing was sold. She went to the EAU and was quickly assigned to a WIN shelter. Through WIN she has received housing, training, medical attention for back problems and has recently become “certified” for permanent housing. She has two sons, 17 & 18, who are both talented artists and would like to pursue careers in graphic design or cartooning. Mercy’s goal is to obtain her GED and go to back to work. In the past she has done construction work but due to physical constraints this type of work will be difficult and is therefore leaning towards working in the community to help others like herself.

Gladys
Gladys is the mother of three young boys and a recovering addict. She came to Women In Need in order to keep her family together. As a result of coming to WIN, in her words “I have a wonderful life”. At WIN, she has become a peer educator for WIN’s Health Education Program, a component of WIN’s HIV Prevention Education series. Gladys has found a passion for this work and wants to go back to school to accomplish this. She wants to help people educate themselves about HIV.

WIN Client Profile

Average age of the client	32
Average number of children living with them	2.3
High School graduate or equivalent	36%
Employed at intake	11%