Antoinette's Story - One Step At A Time
Antoinette and her family were behind on their rent and on the brink of eviction when she met The Salvation Army through relatives who attend the Chicago Temple, Ill., Corps.
There, Antoinette not only received assistance with food and clothing for her eight children, she discovered a larger support network ready to help her. She discovered Pathway of Hope (POH).
Through POH Antoinette has been identifying barriers to sufficiency, setting goals and developing ways to move toward a brighter future. Carmen Staggers, Chicago Temple POH case manager, has helped her in setting meaningful and measurable goals and continues to provide life-skills training.
For instance, a primary need was affordable and ample housing for her family in a safer neighborhood with less influence from gangs and drug dealers. She has learned how to be selective and observant when evaluating potential neighborhoods and housing, working to find a more stable home and living environment. The corps has become a safe haven for her children, providing a sense of hope and stability and helping them to improve in school.
Addressing the goal of employment, Antoinette has been attending the Chicago Harbor Light’s jobsearch program as well as going to job fairs in the city. Yet another goal is to ensure her children graduate from school, so they’ve been working with tutors after-school. The two oldest are already on track to start college, and Antoinette herself plans to finish high school by earning a GED.