Dee’s Story

A United States Army veteran, experienced in driving big trucks through dangerous stretches of dirt road in far away places, Dee completed her last tour of duty and returned to North Carolina. At long last reunited with her husband and two teen-aged boys, she exited military life, excited about being a “regular mom” again.

The long separations experienced by a two-parent military family was too much for this marriage to bear. Before his next deployment, the husband told her he’d already begun divorce proceedings. She and the boys were no longer welcome in his home.

Dee returned to LaGrange seeking the support of family and friends. She quickly found employment through the “street network” and she help to assembled automobile doors. But Dee really missed those big trucks and enrolled in the truck driver program of West Georgia Technical College. As she approached graduation, however, the price of fuel went through the roof and truck driving jobs were hard to find. Some six weeks later, Dee found her little family sleeping in the bed of the family pick-up truck in first one parking lot and then another.

Dee learned about the prospect of a safe place for her family to stay together, regroup, and safely seek employment in a “real house” from a brief mention in the LaGrange Daily News. With a mentor to lean on and a place to call home, Dee “...saw that we was goin’ to be all right. I just knew I’d get on my feet again and be a real mom.”

With the love of Jesus, poured out on her and her boys through the mentoring, supporting, and loving volunteers and staff of OakHaven Women’s Day Center, in just 12 weeks she was in fact in a place to call her own and is a real mom. Full time employed, in a permanent and sustainable position, Dee has come full circle from homeless and frightened to a productive and proud mom who teaches her sons to “give back.” Dee has pledged financial support to Emmaus Women’s Shelter.

Change Comes at Last!

When Jamie came to LaGrange she had high hopes and aspirations for success. The 19-year old high school senior found herself at the WalMart, abandoned again and hopeless. Strangers delivered her to the police station and a phone call to Emmaus Women’s Shelter emergency number brought a smiling face and hope. The promise of a safe place to sleep, regular supervised study time and tutors brought a gleam to her eye and renewed her hope of graduating on time.

Her Case Manager was immediately in contact with the Troup County School System and Marion Sankey arranged for transportation, contact with Jamie’s school counselor and the race was on for graduation! She caught up on missing work, prepared for and took tests that had been skipped, attendance skyrocketed and she graduated on time, with her class!

Her life goals include becoming a Registered Nurse. She’s been accepted at WGTC for the fall.

Celebrate with us for Jamie’s success!