Meet Lora!

My name is Lora, I’m 35 years old and came to the Community House on Broadway on March 26,2023. Before coming to the Community House, my family and I had been homeless for the past four years. My husband and I had been suffering with addiction, and in active addiction for five years which affected our housing, our relationships with our child, and our relationship with ourselves. When we arrived at the Community House we were scared of change and the stereo type of being an addict and living in a homeless shelter. It took me a couple months to give myself to the program offered at the Community House entirely. Eventually I had a wakeup call, and realized a change needed to happen and it was here that would give me the change I wanted and needed. In May is when I realized Community House was saving not only myself, but my family as well. Community House offered me Mental Health which taught me how to communicate healthy with my husband and children, and how to use appropriate coping skills to remain in control of my emotions to prevent me from relapsing. Substance Use treatment has taught me how my brain works while in active addiction, and how to overcome and use all my resources to stay clean and sober while getting to the core of my addiction and understanding why I was using in the first place. I also received a supportive employment specialist whom has helped me to see my potential, and realize I could do so much more than continuing at a job that I was unhappy in. Since then I have enrolled into the High School diploma program at Lower Columbia College and will graduate this Winter. In the Spring I will be attending college as a full time student. I also have a supportive housing specialist that has assisted me in with my eviction, and I’m now currently enrolled into a Good Tenant course. I’ve also learned how to create a budget, paying off my debt, and helping me learn how to build my credit. The Community House has changed my family’s life. This is the first time in four years my children have structure and feel safe and secure. Our youngest child has a bike that the Community House has given us, and has learned to ride it this past week. Since coming here I am no longer depressed, and I’m happy and hopeful for not only myself but my whole family’s future. My family feels whole again, and it’s because of the Community House that we are the happiest we have been in a long time.