From Hurt to Hope

Evelyn’s life has been about surviving the storms of life. But she couldn’t do it alone. “The Salvation Army helped me believe that things could be better, that there was still light and goodness in the world,” she says. “Without them, I would never have landed on my feet.”

A decorative teacher and contractor, Evelyn had a successful business until she sustained a 20-foot fall. She continued to work but it got to the point where she couldn’t even get on a ladder. She had to quit work and that’s when she completed her high school diploma.

“I had dropped out of high school,” says Evelyn. “I always lived with that monkey on my back.”

Homeless

Evelyn graduated from high school with honours. She felt good about herself and her accomplishments —until she went into a scary, dark corner that she didn’t foresee.

“After 13 years of keeping it secret, I came forward to report a sex assault,” says Evelyn. “I was emotionally strong going into the trial, but a shell of my former self when I came out. My grief was painful. I was in a state of confusion and despair. I wasn’t functioning—wasn’t feeling and was numb.”

“Having a roof over my head and food in my stomach allowed me to breathe again—and start planning my future.”

When Evelyn failed at a suicide attempt, she enrolled in treatment—therapy that helped her develop and use new skills and strategies so she could build a life she felt worth living.

“My life started to turn around,” says Evelyn. “I eventually found a place to live but, one day, I came home to find the locks had been changed. Suddenly, I was homeless.”

Giving Back

With nowhere to go, Evelyn went to a safe house where she was referred to Belinda’s Place, a multi-service facility operated by The Salvation Army in southern Ontario. Here, support and services help women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness get back on their feet.

“I arrived at Belinda’s Place with just a duffle bag and the clothes on my back,” says Evelyn. “Having a roof over my head and food in my stomach allowed me to breathe again—and start planning my future.”

“For the first time, I feel I have a place that isn’t going anywhere and no one is going to pull the rug out from under me.”

Belinda’s Place helped Evelyn set some goals, such as finding stable and permanent housing and pursuing her dream of a degree in psychology.

“For the first time, I feel I have a place that isn’t going anywhere and no one is going to pull the rug out from under me,” says Evelyn. “I’m getting my education online and, one day, I hope to work in a shelter setting.

“The Salvation Army gave me a renewed hope, which was invaluable. I want to do that for someone else.”