I Am Hearth: Paula

On November 20th 2018, Hearth welcomed Paula with keys to her new apartment and presented her with brand new home good items to help ease her transition into housing. For the last four years Paula has lived at various shelters across the city. 

After settling in to her new space, Paula recounted, that for the first time in a long while, she would be able to wake up the next morning without someone telling her to get up, pack, and leave. This would also be the first time in years Paula took a shower without fear of someone taking her belongings. Perhaps the most exciting thing for Paula though, was the thought of running errands in the middle of the afternoon and being able to go back to a place she can call home. As she finished unpacking and hung up her new shower curtain, Paula began to shed happy tears. She was finally home!

One week after moving in, Paula invited a small group of staff and residents to her apartment.  She was making her first home-made meal in four years, chicken alfredo.  She slowly shook her head and said, “can you believe it? I haven’t made a meal in years and tonight I’m using my own kitchen, my own pots and pans, and I can invite guests over.  Hearth has changed everything for me.”