Several of the clients served by Sarah’s Circle struggle against issues more complex than simply finding a safe place to sleep at night. Some individuals, like Angela, have a multitude of concerns that have brought her to Sarah’s, even after finding a means for sustaining herself.
At thirty-five, Angela never imagined herself under pressure to hold life together. Her past includes multiple loving children and steady work as a certified nurse’s assistant (CNA) in several nursing homes. Unfortunately, the father of her children died years ago, and afterward, his family decided to fight Angela for the custody of her own kids. Furthermore, her marriage devolved into an abusive relationship, and coupled with a loss of employment, Angela endured a veritable perfect storm of woes. Aggression appeared to confront her from all sides, and even steady work could no longer provide a satisfying outlet for her.
Angela eventually found her way to REST to give her a place to sleep at night. Through the women there, Angela was informed of Sarah’s Circle, a place where she could have more to enjoy during the day. Whether the women would want to watch movies, work on arts and crafts, or just enjoy the community that the refuge of Sarah’s Circle could offer, Angela could always find something to cater to her social needs.
Almost immediately after finding herself at REST, Angela also found herself employment, as well, using the resources at Sarah’s like the phone lines to call around to different facilities to find out if any were hiring. Success in obtaining employment only partially solved the issues Angela faced. Sarah’s Circle also helped her find a lawyer to protect her custody rights of her children, and through participation in a trauma therapy group, Angela developed the courage to escape an abusive relationship.
Now, Angela continues to attend the trauma therapy group to maintain her decision to move beyond the abusive relationship and enjoys visiting Sarah’s to give a little back to the organization when she does not have to work at Northwestern Hospital in downtown Chicago. Truly, Angela exemplifies how the varied services that Sarah’s offers can help affect change in a person’s life, despite however complex the difficulties may be.
