Amina’s Comeback

“After losing my mom I felt entirely alone. But when I came to Calvary all that changed. I found a community – a sisterhood.”

Before coming to Calvary Women’s Services, Amina moved back to Washington, DC from Miami to care for her mother who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer.

When Amina’s mother passed away, Amina was stuck with thousands in medical bills and overdue mortgage payments. After her house was foreclosed, Amina had nowhere to live and was forced to stay at emergency shelters. Luckily, her pastor told her about Calvary.

“I was skeptical. I thought it would be like the places I’d been staying in – not sure if I was going to get a bed, dirty, drugs,” Amina said, “But Calvary was different. It felt like a place I could be safe.”

Shortly after moving into Calvary, Amina began meeting with our therapist to address the trauma from losing her mother. She enrolled in Calvary’s job placement program and focused on finding a new job. She took our education classes and particularly enjoyed the painting class because she and her mother used to paint together.

After attending a career fair with Calvary, Amina interviewed for a customer service manager position with one of the employers at the event and was hired.

Thanks to her new job, Amina has been able to start saving money again. She’ll soon find an apartment of her own and leave Calvary.

“It was really tough, but I know taking care of my mother was the right thing to do. Without Calvary though, I don’t know how I would have survived. I’m so excited to begin my living my new life to the fullest!”