Sister Circle: Where Friends Are Made and Home Begins

Nine years ago, Camila was evicted from her apartment in downtown DC. She was using drugs and fell behind on rent. When recounting that time in her life, she said, “I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to escape but I didn’t know how.”

She decided to take it one step at a time. A social worker referred Camila to a detox program, which she entered and got clean. But once she completed the program, she needed somewhere to go to start anew.

“I lost my home and didn’t even have any clothes. I had to start all over again. I was depressed, stressed out and I felt like I was so unsuccessful.”

After spending a few nights in an emergency shelter, Camila came to Calvary Women’s Services. “When I first called Calvary, I thought, Okay, I’m gonna give this one more try.”

Camila spent six months in Calvary’s transitional housing program, working with her case manager to receive therapy, maintain her sobriety and engage in education classes and programs. Then a spot opened up in Sister Circle, Calvary’s permanent housing program.

Camila moved into her Sister Circle apartment with a roommate who had also come through Calvary’s transitional program. Camila and her roommate grew incredibly close; her roommate even called her “Aunt.”

Camila has been living in her apartment for six years and considers it home. Though she remains close with her former roommate, Camila now has a new roommate who she looks forward to developing a close bond with. They’ve already started to host friends and share meals in their apartment.

She is also an expert seamstress, a skill she learned as a child from her grandfather, who was a tailor. Camila works for a tailor downtown, and is also able to make beautiful clothes for friends and family with the sewing equipment she keeps in her bedroom.

“Sister Circle has been so good to me and made me feel so wanted. I feel like it saved my life,” she says.

Calvary’s programs for homeless women, like Sister Circle, are funded by generous donations from supporters like you. If you’d like to give in support of women like Camila, you can make a donation here.