Vanessa: A Positive Struggle

Vanessa once lived on the streets as a young adult, as she struggled with depression and anxiety after growing up in an abusive environment. Her bouts with mental health issues led to drug use, money woes, early pregnancy and homelessness.

Vanessa, who grew up in San Leandro, was spiraling downward until she and her three young children found a spot in our Sunrise Village Emergency Shelter. She then was placed in one of our permanent supportive housing sites.

After that, she found the strength to focus on improving her life and providing opportunities for her children.

“Abode has made my life a lot better,” said Vanessa, 27. “I felt really stagnant before and, although I knew I had important things to do, I couldn’t do them because I didn’t have stability.”

Now, Vanessa takes classes to build on her life skills and learn how to better cope with adversity. She visits a therapist and takes parenting classes, among other services. It’s all part of Abode’s Housing First approach, which finds that once a formerly homeless person has housing, the services that follow are more effective.

“When I didn’t have a place to live, I felt like I was stuck,” she said. “But now that I’ve been re-housed, my mind is back to normal. I don’t feel stuck anymore.”

Her first goal was to be a good mother who could make her children happy and in a home.

“Having a roof over our heads allows me to do normal, simple things – having breakfast, taking care of my kids, going to work and school,” she said. “I’m still struggling but that’s life – it’s what everybody does. It’s a different struggle than before.”

“It’s a positive struggle.”