A SHARE! Christmas Miracle
By: Priya Swendson
I received a call from a kind and respectful 42-year-old woman. She shared that she was in an unsafe couchsurfing situation. I could hear the fear in her voice as she explained that she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Behind the trembling fear, I swore I could hear a hint of strength. I realized that she desperately needed to be in a safe environment like a SHARE! Collaborative House.
We called one of our sweetest homeowners together, and I listened to her promise that she would prioritize her rent over everything else. The homeowner must’ve heard the same honesty that I did from the other line, and we were able to set up a house tour for her right before the Christmas holiday. After the tour was scheduled, the woman thanked me and said one thing I’ll remember forever, “All I want for Christmas is a roof over my head.”
After the weekend, I gave her a call to follow up on her tour. I felt nervous to hear her voice on the other line, knowing we only had two more days to make her Christmas wish come true.
When her voice came through on the other side, it was all good news. She was filled with gratitude for SHARE!, her new home, the women in the house, the house manager, and homeowner. Not only did she get her Christmas wish, but she got love from her new community through shared quarters for laundry, clean clothes, warm blankets, and soft smiles. Her first silent night in months.
Interested in learning more about SHARE!'s Collaborative Housing? Email housing@shareselfhelp.org.
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