A LONG JOURNEY HOME
For one Hub woman, ‘everything’s finally coming together’ after years of homelessness
On this Thanksgiving Day, Theresa’s home will be full of joy and peace as she prepares her first turkey feast after years of heartache and homelessness.
Theresa, 54, has so much to be thankful for today. She has a full-time job she loves, a condo she bought herself, and five grown children and two grandchildren she adores.
“I’m grateful for having a stable environment, a stable home over my head, my children back in my life,” Theresa told me yesterday. “Just being able to feel like there’s some normalcy. I’m grateful for my job at Stacy’s Juicebar and for all the people in my life.”
Life is good today for Theresa but it’s been a tough road. The single Brockton mother spent many nights sleeping on park benches and lost custody of her children to foster care and open adoptions during an abusive marriage.
Today, Theresa is thriving with the help of Rosie’s Place, a South End shelter that offers many services for women. She’s excited to cook a turkey with all the trimmings and watch holiday movies with loved ones, including her daughter, who lives with her at the sunny two-bedroom condo she calls her “sanctuary.”
During her darkest moments, Theresa never imagined the life she’s living today. She proudly talks about each of her children. Their photos decorate the walls of her home. She’s already decorated for Christmas.
Theresa was in a marriage with an abusive man and lost custody of her children, which she says was the worst day of her life.
“It’s like having your heart ripped out of your chest,” Theresa told me through tears. “It still hurts to this day.”
Theresa wound up homeless for about six years but always worked, mostly in the restaurant industry. She found hope, help and encouragement when she walked through the doors of Rosie’s Place in 2008.
“Anything you could think of they helped me with,” Theresa said. “Without them, I don’t think I would have gotten through half of where I’m at now.”
She stayed at Rosie’s Place many times. Staffers gave her clothes and food, helped her with her resume and with housing.
In 2012, Theresa was able to rent a room and eventually an apartment. She then saved enough money for a down payment on a condo she bought right before last Christmas.
“I don’t have to worry about being in the street anymore,” she said. “I finally found home. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Rosie’s Place helped her find a job at Stacy’s Juicebar in Needham, where she started out as a dishwasher and prep cook four years ago. She’s since moved up to produce manager, commuting three hours by buses and trains each morning.
Throughout the years, Theresa’s children kept her going and she always stayed in contact with them.
Now, she has an “awesome” relationship with her children, ages 20 to 32, and grandkids.
Theresa also gives back to the community. She knits blankets for children battling cancer at Boston Children’s Hospital. She’s secretary of the nonprofit ministry, Ministerios Oasis En El Desierto Studios.
“I’m feeling at peace. I’m feeling excited about the future,” Theresa said. “It feels like everything’s finally coming together. I feel like I finally have some stability in my life.”
To donate, visit rosiesplace.org/give.
‘I don’t have to worry about being in the street anymore. I finally found home. It’s an amazing feeling.’ — THERESA