“I’m starting basically fresh, from scratch. I’m going to leave my past in the past and start feeling at peace. I want to be happy—and for a long time, I didn’t think I deserved that.” —Catelyn

Catelyn sits in her bed at Deborah's Place

For women like Catelyn*, Deborah’s Place represents a fresh start. Before coming to Deborah’s Place, she fled domestic violence on the East Coast, was the victim of a violent crime here in Chicago, and suffered an episode of psychosis because of these traumatic experiences. After all this, she found refuge and support in Teresa’s Interim Housing, a 120-day transitional program at Deborah’s Place. This week, she’s moving into her own apartment: for the first time in two years, she has a stable place all her own.

With this stable foundation beneath her, she’s excited to continue her career as a pastry chef, and to make her home a welcoming place for her adult children to visit. As Catelyn moves into this new chapter she’ll continue to have support from Deborah’s Place Alumnae Services. No matter what obstacles may appear, she’s part of a community of care.

Catelyn’s story, like each of ours, is unique in its details—but it’s also one of hundreds at Deborah’s Place, where women’s lives are changing every day. These fresh starts and stable foundations are only possible because you are part of that community of care. Unfortunately, there are also hundreds of women like Catelyn who will spend tonight on the street, without a roof overhead or the foundation necessary to achieve their goals.

The crisis of homelessness in our community is increasingly visible, and Deborah’s Place is working hard to meet that need—but we need your support to do it.

*This participant’s name has been changed to protect her privacy

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