Susanna and her young children came to CFJ’s Kathie’s Place safe house several months ago after a tumultuous journey than began after she fled a violent marriage in Florida. To escape the relationship and protect herself and her children from further abuse, Susanna traveled thousands of miles to live near family in Connecticut as she sought safety and security.
Once she arrived here, her problems unexpectedly got worse. A relative, who was providing her with shelter, fell on her own hard times and was evicted from her home.
Susanna had no affordable housing options and was terrified of returning to her abuser when she called CFJ’s hotline looking for advice.
Susanna ended up living in CFJ’s Kathie’s Place safe house for several months while she worked to create emotional and financial stability. “You gave me a place to stay when I had no where else to go,” she told our advocacy staff.
Finding a job was challenging as Susanna did not have a strong work history and faced costly and burdensome child care issues because of her three young children. She worked closely with the staff at Kathie’s Place throughout her stay, discussing her options as she considered a plan for moving forward with her life. Eventually, Susanna connected with extended family outside of the country and developed a plan for returning to her native Puerto Rico. There, family members were able to provide her and her children with a safe home and job and child-care opportunities.
CFJ helped Susanna arrange for safe transportation home for her and her children.
Upon their return, Susanna and her young children sent CFJ’s advocacy team and Kathie’s Place staff several grateful letters. “Thank you for believing in me and thank you for helping me get a fresh start,” she wrote.
