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After staying with relatives and in shelters around the city, 26 year-old Annette is thankful to finally have a room of her own. |
Still, she is learning the value of living in close relationship with other people, a difficult process at times.
Annette
shares a common living room and kitchen with two other women in an
apartment on Chicago’s west side through an arrangement between
Breakthrough Urban Ministries and the Marcie Newberry Association.
Breakthrough has 30 similar apartments, which provide permanent housing
for 11 women. Each woman has her own room and bathroom.
“In a
loving way, I’m trying to teach Annette to be more independent,” says
Brenda Williams, Breakthrough’s Outreach Coordinator. Brenda lives on
site and serves as a mentor, mediator and friend to other residents
like Annette. “She seeks approval from others and gets her feelings
hurt easily, so we’re working on that.”
Annette and her
roommates are learning to respect and even appreciate each other. “I
don’t like disagreements, but I’m learning that I can’t run away from
my problems. I have to deal with them,” says Annette. She continues,
“Sometimes the truth hurts. Even though I might feel like someone is
telling me how to run my life, I’m learning to step back and see how
they’re trying to help me learn from their own mistakes.”
Breakthrough
encourages all participants, students, staff and volunteers to build
healthy relationships. The apartments at Marcie Newberry are a good
example of opportunities that not only help people get back on their
feet, but provide real-life experience in a stable, loving environment.
“Annette
is starting to learn that she can stand on her own. That’s a huge
accomplishment for her,” says Brenda. “When she knocks on my door in
the middle of the night with the most beautiful smile and says, ‘Look
what I can do!’ I know we’re making a difference.”
CLICK HERE to make a donation. |
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