I am the mother of five. Ranging in ages one to high school. Ms. Winnie and Ms. Dock helped me find an apartment for the four youngest children. We were displaced due to unfortunate circumstances. My children and I were thankful. Today, my oldest has graduated from high school and the others are thriving. We have relocated and I remarried. Winnie’s Project HOPE was a God send.

I was referred to Project HOPE by my child’s teacher. I met Ms. Winnie and Mr. Nay at the resident she offered me and my four children to stay. It was in December and we were sleeping in my car. Our previous landlord refused to get the house fixed and repaired for us to live safely. We moved in and stayed there until I got a house for me and my children. My children attended Brentwood Elementary. Mr. Isreal has since passed, but we are forever grateful. We also began to attend church services.

Ms. Winnie allowed me to stay at the HOPE House for a few weeks until I got the help I needed. I was an alcoholic! Until I admitted it, I could not receive help. My son was living out of town and now I have custody of him. I am living in my own house and we are doing well. We are thankful for Winnie’s Project HOPE.

Ms. Bonner and Ms. Winnie helped me keep my children. The school was about to take my children because my oldest had missed so many days in first grade. Ms. Bonner came to the school and spoke up for me and let the administrators now that I was in the program and had a mentor. I now have all my children and we are doing fine. I enjoyed helping wrapping gifts at Barnes and Noble. I never realized people not related to me could love me without wanting something in return.

I am thankful for Ms. Winnie for helping me and my three children. Each of my children are in the gifted programs at their schools. My oldest even helps tutor in the afterschool program conducted by her daughter, Miss Jessica. I started out from the beginning in Ms. Winnie’s home. We went to the second floor of the bank and now the current location on E. 27th St. My mother and sisters joined the group after seeing how it helped me.

I was referred to Ms. Winnie by the school, Andrew Robinson. I am the mother of six children. My youngest was struggling in his classwork. I was unable to work across town and have him at the church for tutoring. Ms. Winnie would pick him up from my home and after I returned from work, I picked him up after he received a snack and an hour of tutoring. The teacher saw an improvement in him, and he successfully graduated to the next grade.