I had a stroke and couldn't go back to work. I lost
everything and ended up in an abusive relationship. Finally, I got courage to
leave that abuse, even if that meant I would be on the streets. I went to a
shelter and they connected me with Chadwick Residence. At first I was afraid
because I didn't know what to expect. But, when I got there and met with my
case manager, she told me that I could not fail as long as I tried. I kept
trying to get over the pain of my divorce, having a stroke, not being connected
to my family. At my age, how could I be in a shelter? But I was and I had to
figure out what to do with myself. The staff helped me get into a support group
and I attended all of the groups they gave at the Residence. It helped me and I
started to feel confident about myself and my future. After a year, I moved out
on my own and now, although I still have some fears and some pain, I am not in
the same place I was. Chadwick helped me to face myself and think about who I
wanted to be.
