Jennifer didn’t know where to turn.
Last fall, she worked hard to overcome homelessness and addiction, but outpatient housing did not allow children. She needed to keep her 12-year-old son, Daniel, safe.
Out of options, she called the Department of Children and Families.
“That’s the only thing that I ever knew,” Jennifer says.
The DCF investigator saw Jennifer was doing the work. She just needed a hand up. He thought of Better Together. Our team and volunteers wrap around families to help them navigate crises. Host families care for children temporarily while parents get back on their feet. Mentors help parents stay on track with encouragement and friendship.
Jennifer connected with Kari Hess, a Better Together family support manager. Kari helped her create a plan and found a host family to care for Daniel.
“I knew that Better Together was Christian based and that the family that he would be going to would be able to help kind of instill that love for Christ,” Jennifer says.
The host parents and their five kids welcomed Daniel into their home. Each child had a biblical nickname that started with the letter J. Daniel’s nickname became Jeremiah. He felt part of the family.
Daniel went to school and church. He played basketball and games with the kids. All the while, Jennifer focused on securing a place they could call home. She spoke with Daniel every day.
Adrienne, a Better Together mentor, and now a friend, supported Jennifer along the way.
“She is such a go-getter and so independent,” Adrienne says.
On January 8, Jennifer and Daniel reunited in their new apartment.
They created a little man cave for Daniel, a loft where he likes to read and draw. They adopted a dog they named Honey. Jennifer got a promotion at work, a job she loves with co-workers who care for her and Daniel. When his bike was stolen, they pooled their money to buy him a new one.
Kari gave Jennifer a housewarming gift, cross made of scallops, olive shells, and a piece of lightning whelk—a symbol of faith, struggle, and rebirth.
Volunteer to give hope and community to a family in your community.
Moments by Kinfay Moroti / story by Pamela Hayford
