Meet Amanda!

Meet Amanda!

Hi there my name is Amanda,

My name is Amanda. I am 36 years old and have 4 children. I would like to share my success story to shed some light on the profound impact the Community House has had on me and my children. I arrived at Community House on January 9, 2025 as a last ditch effort to get my life back together. I was living in a tent on my friend's property prior to moving into the Community House. I had been facing numerous hardships, including a lengthy history of substance use, and past legal issues that resulted in time spent in jail and losing custody of 2 of my children. I had been using drugs off and on for 22 years, and had created a ton of wreckage in my life due to it.

After my last stint in jail, I got all my charges dropped, but 2 out of my children had been awarded to the state and I had a CPS case to endure. While at Community House, the staff supported me in navigating the complexities of the court system to regain custody back of my two kids. Through perseverance, and the assistance of the Community House's staff, I was able to obtain full custody on March 13, 2025. After that, I needed to find a job and a place to live. My housing and employment specialists played a huge role in my journey towards stability and independence. They helped me get a caregiving job, and later, my own place to call home! For the first time ever, I finally had a job I loved and felt good at.

I absolutely love being a caregiver. While I was searching for employment, I received the best news ever! I got a letter stating I was picked for the Apple Health and Homes (AHAH) voucher. My housing specialist helped me navigate the voucher, and we found a townhouse I wanted more than anything! We were able to work with the property manager, and my AHAH voucher, to get the place! I still can't believe it's mine! I can't begin to explain what an impact Community House has had on my life. From my Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment, to mental health services, to housing and employment, they helped me in every aspect of my life that needed fixing.

I will forever be grateful to my mental health counselor, for letting me vent to her anytime I thought I couldn't move forward. My relationship with my mom has grown beyond words, and I can finally look her in the eyes with pride because of where I'm at in life. I'm finally the role model I always knew I could be with my kids, and it shows in their laughter and day to day interactions with me. I love hearing my kids say, "This is my house!" It's our job as parents to provide stability for our children, and I am filled with so much joy that I know I'm providing that for them.

I will forever be grateful to the staff and the program at Community House. They gave me and my kids the life we deserve...

-Amanda