“Stay strong and be persistent for your children.” That is what kept going through Teresa’s head as she was feeling overwhelmed and stressed for weeks on end, not knowing where to go for help. After every violent incident, Andrew said he would change, and she was hoping, but then something she said or did would set him off, and like lightning, the abuse would start again. She knew she had to leave, even if that meant living in her car with her children. She had packed a small backpack for each child before they fled from her spouse, for them, the streets felt safer than being at home.

After several weeks, Teresa came across a card with Radiant Futures’ number on it and decided to call our helpline. She was so relieved when the advocate told her she could move in that night.

Teresa is so grateful that she and her children have a safe place, with a bed, soft pillows and fresh-smelling sheets, a stove with an oven, and plenty of food. She is grateful for a bathroom, which did not need to be used as a barricade. These simple things were a luxury before she came to Radiant Futures.

At Radiant Futures, Teresa received individual counseling, empowerment classes, ongoing support, and lots of encouragement from her advocate and the staff. Her children were thriving, and she even heard them laughing, something she had not heard in months. Through counseling, she had learned that domestic violence was not her fault, and that in time her and her children would heal.

Radiant Futures’ Bridge Housing incorporates emergency motel stays, short-term shelter, and long-term housing placements, adapting to the individual priorities and needs of each participant. For more information on Radiant Future’s Bridge Housing Program, please call our 24-hour helpline at 877-531-5522.