Martha never imagined she’d end up in a shelter. She was a mother doing everything she could to protect her children, but life had dealt her a bad hand.
She was in a toxic marriage—one filled with verbal and physical abuse. Her husband struggled with drugs and alcohol, and she endured the pain of his rage—both the visible wounds and the ones no one could see. A broken bone. Teeth knocked out. Fear became a permanent presence in her home. But the hardest part wasn’t what happened to her—it was what her children had to see.
At first, they watched their father hurt their mother. Then, they watched her fight back. And that’s when it hit Martha: this wasn’t just about her anymore. The cycle she had tried so hard to break was playing out in front of her kids.
She knew she had to get out.
A Call for Help
Martha had never asked for help before, but she was out of options. She picked up the phone and called Thomas House Family Shelter.
“I was scared. I didn’t want to call,” she admits. “But I did.”
That single moment changed everything.
At Thomas House, Martha found more than just a roof over her head. She found safety. She found therapy. She found a team of people who didn’t just see her as a victim—they saw her as someone who could rebuild.
And the most important part? Her children could finally be kids again. They stayed in their same school. They had space to run and play. They could sleep without fear.
Thomas House gave them something that money can’t buy: peace of mind.
The Power of a Safe Space
Years later, when Martha asked her son what he remembered about their time at Thomas House, he didn’t mention the struggles.
“I just remember running around. I just remember how fun it was.”
That’s what Thomas House does. They take families in their hardest moments and create a space where children can feel normal again—where parents can breathe and begin to heal.
This kind of support doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because of people like you—people who give, who care, who believe that every family deserves a chance to start over.
And this month, on April 23rd, Help Them Home Giving Day, you have the opportunity to help families like Martha’s find safety, stability, and hope.
A Full Circle Moment
After graduating from the Thomas House program, Martha received a job offer that she never saw coming. The Executive Director of Thomas House saw something in her—strength, resilience, and a deep understanding of what families go through when they first walk through those doors.
So, when a position as an Administrative Assistant opened up, they offered it to her. She became the voice on the other end of the line when scared mothers and fathers called for help.
“I get to be one of them,” she says now, still in disbelief.
Today, Martha is the Operations Manager at Thomas House Family Shelter. She’s the person making sure every family has what they need to feel at home. And every time she walks past a new mom settling into her room, she knows exactly what she’s feeling.
“I always wondered how I could ever thank Thomas House for what they did for me and my family,” she says. “Now, I don’t have to wonder. I am Thomas House.”
Help More Families Find Home
Martha’s story is just one of hundreds that have been rewritten with the support of Thomas House Family Shelter. And as we approach Help Them Home Giving Day, you have the chance to be part of that change.
On April 23rd, we’re rallying our community to come together and raise critical funds for families with children facing homelessness.
Your support means:
- Safe shelter for a family and their children
- Access to therapy, financial literacy, counseling, and job training
- A real chance to rebuild and thrive
Let’s make sure more families have a chance to rewrite their stories.
- Mark your calendar for Help Them Home Giving Day
- Donate and help families find stability
- Share this story to inspire others to give
Every family deserves a chance to heal, grow, and find home again. Let’s make it happen—together.
📽️To watch Martha’s story, click the link here