Joanne found herself and her two children unexpectedly homeless.
After being evicted from her rented apartment due to foreclosure, Joanne couldn’t find affordable housing, so she moved to a hotel to give her time to think, to plan. But her money ran out. She was homeless until she met Almarie, our Director of Advocacy, at the Lazarus House Shelter.
Joanne says “Without Lazarus House, I don’t know where I would be!”
It was 2015, and Deyaniri wanted to do more with her life. She wanted a career. She wanted to support her family. She joined the Culinary Arts class at Lazarus House. She excelled. She worked hard to learn English. She landed an internship at Phillips Academy that turned into a position in their kitchen. She still works there today. She tells us that Lazarus House was the reason she has been able to realize her dreams.
Deyaniri gives back to Lazarus House by being a guest chef, teaching new culinary students the skills needed to land a good job but most importantly shares her story as encouragement for the whole class to believe in themselves.
Maria graduated from the Culinary Arts program at Lazarus House, completed her internship at a local pre-school, and then was offered a job at a nursing home kitchen. Since then she has also been using her baking talent and eye for creativity to serve her community with freshly baked culturally relevant sweets and treats from the Dominican Republic – through the catering business she now runs out of her own home [La Casa de los Dulces].
She states emphatically, “This program will change your life.”
When John came to the Soup Kitchen a few years back, then addicted to heroin and living in a dark situation, he was met with understanding, kindness, acceptance, food, clothing and much needed personal items. He noted that “They [Lazarus House] are just big-hearted and warm people and it didn’t matter the condition we walked in with or why we were there.”
Miguel Cruz, Community Resource manager, steered him in the direction of a recovery center, got him into a shelter, and gave him a lead on a job possibility. Today, John is sober, employed and has a bank account. He often returns to Lawrence to remind himself both of his past and the role Lazarus House played in his recovery.
“We are supposed to be kind to each other,” John said. “And it’s not always there. Kindness is hard to find, but it is out there. It’s at Lazarus House.”
A new mom, and homeless at 17, Tiana’s path wasn’t easy. After bouncing around for a few years, Tiana landed at Capernaum Place, Lazarus House’s transitional Housing program. There, our advocates loved and encouraged her to believe in herself. The programs and accountability supported her and kept her on track in her desire to manage her own finances, be the best mom she could be to her young son and create good healthy habits. Tiana confidently advocated for raise at her work and successfully transitioned to her own apartment with new understanding of financial literacy, family responsibility and the joy of independence.
And one day, Tiana plans to open her own salon!
Eric tells of “growing up in rough Lawrence neighborhoods”, being bullied as a special needs student, relying on food pantries, living in shelters and specifically remembers turning to Lazarus House. Through all the struggle he has a positive outlook and heart to give back to the community that supported him; so much so he had been volunteering at Lazarus House in many of the Ministry areas until we hired him to work part-time in the Food Pantry. Liset Garcia, Food Coordinator at Lazarus House, says “He’s just the best! I am so blessed he is part of our awesome Food pantry team!”
Read more to find out why Webster calls Lazarus House “my second family,”
Natividad’s Story is still unfolding …
Natividad found herself and her two children left homeless following a broken promise.
They were welcomed into our Shelter Program with love and dignity and soon after accepted into our transitional housing program, Capernaum Place, where they live today. She was hired as an employee in the Lazarus House Soup Kitchen. Naty is filled with hope and fortitude but she credits Lazarus House with giving her the opportunity to reach for her dreams, the belief in herself that she can, and a safe place for her and her children to rest, stabilize and get the support needed to take the next steps.
Naty says she wants her kids to say that “if my mom can do it, I can do it” for anything they dream.
