Our Works of Charity / David Bethuram

Catholic Charities helps a young mother turn hardship into hope

Natasha grew up in the projects with divorced parents. The lights were cut off almost every month, there was often no food in the house, and she wore shoes with holes in them. She made herself a promise that once she got out of the projects, she would never go back.

She started working at 15. At 18, she got married, but her husband became sick, and she found herself supporting him, her mom and her little brother while attending college full-time and working a full-time job. Unfortunately, Natasha and her husband separated by the time she was 19. She took on two more jobs, moved in with her aunt, finished her associate degree and transferred to a university.

Natasha met her soulmate, and within six months they were engaged. Nine months later, she was pregnant, still attending school and still working. Things were difficult, but they were making it work. Then her husband’s alcohol addiction became impossible to ignore. She gave him an ultimatum: stop drinking or he could not be around their baby. Instead, he chose a third option. He took his own life in what would have been their nursery.

From that point on, Natasha went into survival mode. She worked 12 to 13 hours a day as a waitress while preparing to become a single mother. When her son was born, she made him a promise: he would never know the kind of struggle she experienced as a child.

Keeping that promise was not easy. They were evicted from their apartment and moved from one sublease to another. At one point, they lived in a hotel. Her son thought it was an adventure. He did not realize they were homeless.

During some of her hardest moments, Catholic Charities provided support, encouragement and resources that helped Natasha keep moving forward. Catholic Charities case workers and other staff assistance gave her hope when she felt defeated and reminded her that she did not have to face every challenge alone.

Three years ago, Natasha decided she was no longer going to simply survive. She was going to build a better future for herself and her son. With determination and support from Catholic Charities, she developed a plan for long-term stability. She began following financial education groups, learned how to improve her credit, secured stable housing, purchased a reliable vehicle and found work that provided greater flexibility and increased income opportunities.

Just when things seemed to be falling into place, her lease was not renewed with only three weeks’ notice. She later learned the property was being remodeled, and rents were increasing by $500 per month. Once again, she felt discouraged, but she refused to give up. Catholic Charities helped her find an apartment in the neighboring complex, allowing her son to stay in the only school he had ever known and maintain the stability he deserved.

Natasha knew she needed to increase her income if she wanted to achieve her dream of home ownership. All of her life challenges have caused her to live with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can be challenging. But she decided to turn it into a strength. So, she launched a professional organizing business. Within the first nine months, she had already exceeded her goals.

Natasha says that some days self-doubt still creeps in and getting out of bed feels difficult. But then she remembers the promises she made to herself and to her son. She is determined to not go back to where she started, and that her son will not know the struggles she endured.

With determination, faith and support from Catholic Charities, Natasha has transformed a life defined by hardship into one filled with opportunity, resilience and hope for the future.
 

(David Bethuram is executive director of the archdiocesan Secretariat for Catholic Charities. You can contact him at dbethuram@archindy.org.) †