It’s been a long journey for Jennifer to take that lesson to heart and find her path in life.

She was born and raised in the Bay Area. In her youth, tragic personal events led to continuous struggles. She found herself in an abusive relationship. The birth of her daughter Vanessa, was a blessing. “She is the light of my life,” Jennifer explains.

But even Vanessa’s “light” could not keep Jennifer’s life from spiraling out of control. It did, however, lead to change that would eventually lead Jennifer’s life in a brighter direction.

Jennifer’s mother moved to Sacramento. She cared for her granddaughter while Jennifer sorted out her life back in the Bay Area. It took some time but, Jennifer eventually made her way to Sacramento. She still had a lot of work to do to before she could properly care for herself and rejoin her family.

Jennifer's mother urged her to apply for the program at Women’s Empowerment. The Sacramento non-profit helps homeless women develop skills and confidence. With that, they can get jobs, maintain healthy lifestyles and regain homes for themselves and their children. Jennifer was accepted and began to make real change in her life.

Women's Empowerment was the right place for her. The demanding full-time program offered direction and support. It helped Jennifer set three primary goals: finish college, start a career, and reunite with her mother and daughter under one roof.

It’s been three years since Jennifer first walked through the doors at Women’s Empowerment. Since then, she has accomplished all three of her goals.

Being homeless. Having a criminal record. Suffering from depression and struggling with substance abuse. These personal issues come with a lot of societal stigma and shame. Jennifer rose above it all. She credits Women’s Empowerment, her fellow program participants, and her mother and daughter for her success.

“They call it a job readiness program, but it is so beyond that,” she shares. “It is a life readiness program.”

Jennifer graduated from community college in May 2017. Soon thereafter she found an internship which developed into a full-time career position with her current employer.

"The best part is that moving forward, I feel like I can do whatever I want. I am the boss of me and I feel like I can be successful,” Jennifer states with absolute joy and confidence.

She is on this journey for herself, but also for her daughter. Jennifer committed to changing her life to set an example for her. She wants Vanessa to know, "There will be struggles, but every day is another day to make a different choice."

Now in 8th grade, a top student and athlete with big dreams, Vanessa has received the message loud and clear. She is very proud of her mother who is a shining example of resilience and strength.

Jennifer wants to remind those facing difficult personal challenges to not lose hope. "Don't be afraid to be vocal. There is someone who will listen.”

Tomorrow night might get below freezing. You look around your tent and hope you have enough layers to stay not just warm but alive.

Your stomach rumbles. You hear the steady flow of traffic above, the other people, going to and from work. The people with roofs over their heads; they know when their next meal and shower will be.

Then you hear it. A silly horn that doesn’t just mean a hot cup of soup. It means hope.

Homeless but not hopeless

In America, there are approximately 650,000 homeless individuals. (Metro Relief, 2017) Many of them children. And the Dallas-Fort Worth area is no different.

Just ask Jana Kelley, who was homeless at age 13. Jana has experienced more horrors in her short life – from drug dealing to her father being shot - than most people will in 80 years

But she heard that silly horn one day. Around the corner the Metro Relief bus came. The volunteers poured out of the doors of the retrofitted bus, many of them got in line for soup with the homeless and struck up conversations. Jana decided to sit down and talk with a volunteer, a chat that changed the course of her life.

“We really believe that in order to help someone actually make an impact in their lives, you’ve got to start with the core problems,” shared Metro Relief Executive Director, Jason Kelley. “A lot of people do not have encouragement and good people around them. So we try to be that for them. We try to show them love right off the bat even if they’ve only known us for five minutes. We are family and we care about you.”

Metro Relief provides more than just much needed meals. They provide sanitary items like tooth brushes and soap; encouragement and friendship; and help people get life-changing medical services.

Jana used to think her life at 13 was normal. But through conversations and love and support from Metro relief volunteers, she realized she deserved better. The young woman has turned her life around. She’s attending college and plans to be a social worker so she can help other children in her situation.

Spreading the relief even farther

Metro Relief wanted to reach even more people in the metro area. But like many non-profits, they needed more money.

“It’s not every day that a group of people say we’ve got $25,000 and want to give it to you so you can make a difference in people’s lives. And that’s what happened through State Farm®,” Jason said.

In 2016, they heard about a crowdsourced grant program that connects individuals and communities with local non-profits to build safer, stronger, and smarter communities, State Farm Neighborhood Assist ® (SFNA).

And they won one of those 40 grants. “The grant money will help us retrofit a second bus, essentially making it a food truck. We will be able to reach so many more people now,” shared Jason.

Together, Metro Relief volunteers and State Farm are giving Dallas-Fort Worth homeless a better chance at a brighter tomorrow. They are turning the power of caring into the act of doing with the help of SFNA.

Check out the SFNA website to find community causes you’re passionate about. From August 16 through the 25, you get ten votes a day to rally behind those causes. Go vote!

You might also be interested in:

• Childhood Poverty Just A Stone’s Throw Away
• A Young Life Lost: A Legacy of Safety
• Things Are Looking Up