Client Stories

On our fixed income, it's been difficult to buy enough food for healthy meals lately. We come to the Center a couple of times a month to make sure we have enough food. Thank you.

Val and I were skipping meals to keep the kids fed, and even then sometimes we still didn't have enough. The kids would get hungry between meals, but we couldn't afford to let them snack. It was so stressful. Now we visit the Center for food every week, and we're all healthier and happier.

I never thought that I could communicate as I do now. I am stronger than I thought, and I discovered all of my strengths through the ELL classes. At the Center, everybody can learn English, computers and more. Thank you.

Thanks to the POP scholarship program, I went from scraping by to providing a good life for my son, Xavier. My new career as a surgical tech has steady hours, a good salary, paid time off and full benefits. I finally caught up on past-due bills, and I'm working on saving money and improving my credit so I can buy a house with a yard for Xavier. Thank you.

Diapers are expensive, and our little guy goes through a LOT of them. Being able to get some diapers from the Center every month really helps. Thank you.

This year has been rough. First, we all got COVID. A short while later, Suz had to stay home with Connor for a 14-day quarantine. She didn't have a full paycheck for two months, so we started visiting the Center occasionally for food. When Ethan got an ear infection, Suz's boss let her go—too much time off, they said. Now we visit the Center regularly for food and diapers.

You can tell that [Opening Doors] staff really care. They're the kind of people we need in our lives right now. Being around people that want to help our lives and help us achieve our goals is pretty amazing.

The POP scholarship program helped me earn my associate's degree. Now I'm a radiology tech. I have a cool job, a steady paycheck and benefits. Thank you!

Emma's parents couldn't afford much. It had been a tough year, and they were barely making rent. They visited the Center's Toyland event and picked out a stuffed animal for Emma. She named him "Pickles" and takes him everywhere. Thank you.

[Opening Doors] helped me land a job when I was first released. But the pandemic hit, and I was laid-off. I almost lost everything! [Opening Doors] staff went above and beyond to help. I found a new job and was able to keep my apartment. Thank you.