Tina* had a really tough start in life. She experienced abuse and neglect as a child, and when she became an adult, things didn’t get much easier. She didn’t have a stable place to live and ended up hanging out with the wrong crowd, getting into drugs and a bad relationship.
Amidst this chaos, Tina found out she was pregnant. Her daughter Mia was born exposed to drugs. Concerned for the welfare of both Tina and Mia, her case was referred to LCFS’ Intact Family Recovery Program and assigned to Crystal, a compassionate caseworker.
At first, Tina didn’t want help. She didn’t trust people who were supposed to be in charge. But Crystal saw something special in Tina and kept encouraging her, even when Tina struggled.
It wasn’t smooth sailing. Tina faced a lot of tough times and setbacks. But with Crystal’s help, she kept going. The therapy she received through LCFS made a big impact. It helped her understand why she turned to drugs. Tina began to open up and accept the support around her. She attended parenting and anger management classes, eager to learn and grow as a mom and individual.
A year later, Tina faced another unexpected pregnancy. Max’s arrival marked a turning point though—he was born drug free. This made Tina even more determined to beat her addiction, distance herself from toxic influences and give her children a good life.
With LCFS’ help, Tina got a stable place to live, found a job, and help for her children with speech and developmental therapy, and daycare. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, Tina also received support in the form of diapers, household supplies and Christmas gifts for her family.
Every gesture of support and kindness reinforced Tina’s sense of worth and belonging. For the first time in her life, she felt like people truly cared.
In a heartfelt moment of gratitude, Tina expressed to Crystal, “If it wasn’t for you standing beside me, I would not be where I am or the woman I am today.” Crystal, moved to tears, reflected on the journey they had traveled together. Despite the challenges, she never gave up on Tina, knowing deep down that she had the resilience to succeed. And succeed she did! Tina turned her life around for her children. She left behind her old struggles and found stability and purpose. And she’ll always be grateful for the circle of support that helped her do it.
| *To protect privacy, names and images are representational only. |
