“I found safety for me and my daughter”

At 8 months pregnant, Aashakiya found herself with nowhere to go. She had bounced around from place to place, living in hotels and shelters without any stability. Her retail job was not enough to pay the bills, and she was unable to afford a place of her own. Aashakiya knew she had to make a change. She didn’t want to have her baby without a home to bring her back to. Thankfully, her maternity coach at Black Child Legacy helped her to find a spot at the Meadowview Navigation Center, the women’s shelter that VOA proudly operates. A partnership with SHRA, this shelter creates a safe haven for women to heal from traumas and plan for their next stage of housing.

Although she was safe at the shelter, Aashakiya knew that she would need to find a different solution once the baby came. She worked through the pains of her last month of pregnancy, making sure to find a new home for her new family. On December 14, Aashakiya gave birth to her beautiful baby girl, Aashaniya. Three days later, they arrived together at VOA’s Family Shelter, where she could belong to a community of families working toward the same goal of building brighter futures for their children.

Today, 2 months later, Aashakiya no longer has to worry about finding daily meals or having a roof over her baby’s head. She has constant support from the staff and has a safe place to work through some of the traumas that she has faced. She is also building a support system of other moms and families that she can turn to, and can feel good about providing a safe home for her daughter. Although she hopes to move to a more permanent housing solution soon, Aashakiya says she is grateful for a warm shower, food on the table, and empathetic staff members who will walk with her and her baby in this season. Aashakiya is finding her purpose, and we know that bright things are ahead for her beautiful family!