Dan & Rebecca’s Story - Sustaining A Future
Dan and Rebecca, a young couple with three beautiful girls, should have been celebrating the joys of life. They had so much to look forward to, or at least that’s what they thought.
But shortly after giving birth to their third daughter in October 2013, Rebecca lost her job. With no income, the family was soon homeless. Six months later Rebecca finally met The Salvation Army through a multi-agency team meeting at a public school in Grand Haven, Mich.
But shortly after giving birth to their third daughter in October 2013, Rebecca lost her job. With no income, the family was soon homeless. Six months later Rebecca finally met The Salvation Army through a multi-agency team meeting at a public school in Grand Haven, Mich.
The family entered Salvation Army emergency housing in April 2014 and started Pathway of Hope with high hopes. The two older girls fit right in at the corps, joining sunbeams and junior band and attending Sunday school and worship.
Dan and Rebecca worked hard at the goals they set and by July were ready for independent living when crisis struck. Dan was diagnosed with a terminal illness. It turned the family upside down, but they didn’t give up on their goals. They continued to walk the path to hope and in September were married by corps officer Captain Jay Davis.
They secured permanent housing through referrals and applied for Social Security disability benefits to increase their income. Through POH, they have better community support and involvement. And with a plan for their future, the family can deal with Dan’s difficult health issues without constantly being in a state of crisis.
“The Salvation Army was very helpful and also very supportive,” said Rebecca. “We’re going to keep working to better ourselves, our family and our way of living.”