Giving Back For The Greater Good: A Story of Resilience And Impact

In late 2024, a mother of two reached out to Sacred Heart at a critical moment. Though housed at the time, she was on the verge of losing her home and requested rental assistance. She had fled a domestic violence situation out of state, and without timely support, she and her children risked becoming unhoused.

Through Family Assistance, she accessed financial support and, most importantly, built a trusting relationship with her case manager. Together, they created a stability plan that not only helped her stay in her home but also supported her journey toward long-term independence. Along the way, she began preparing for the workforce by taking English classes, sharing that once she was ready to work, it would remove another barrier for her family.

She often expressed deep gratitude for Sacred Heart’s support, telling her case manager she couldn’t imagine where she and her daughters would be without this assistance. But her story reminds us that our work is not only about providing services — it’s about building relationships rooted in trust, reciprocity, and care. As her case manager, RM, reflected: “If a group comes together, we’re more impactful.” That impact is only possible when we accompany members not just through moments of crisis, but also into spaces of leadership and community action.

By the time she exited the program in July 2025, she had already begun to envision ways to give back. In August, she joined the Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee (SHHAC) and immediately became an active participant, determined to use her lived experience to strengthen our collective work.

Her journey demonstrates the power of relationship-building as a pathway to leadership. Direct service opened the door, trust sustained the connection, and now reciprocity — giving back for the greater good of the community — fuels her leadership. She embodies the truth that those most impacted are also those most equipped to guide us toward justice.