A few weeks ago, a young woman came into the Hangar and said, “Ms. Laurie, can you help me?”
Over the years, I have heard these words many times. They are bittersweet because it means that there is a painful situation, but they are also aware of their need and are courageous enough to ask for help.
She explained a bit more about her situation – a situation where she was receiving housing and disability checks with no way to access them. As is the case with many people receiving checks they so desperately need, she had been taken advantage of. Like many others experiencing homelessness, she no longer had a valid ID to access the checks, and she came into the Hangar with a stack of debit cards that could never be activated. A lot of the work we do at the Hangar is ID-related, an issue many of us don’t ever have to think about but is often the first insurmountable obstacle others face when seeking help.
In response, I told her I would help her if she came back every day. Many people ask for help but aren’t willing to work consistently to make progress, and I told her that to truly help her she would need to make a commitment to work with me every day. She agreed, and over the next few weeks she came in every day – showing up for herself and working to improve her situation.
Over these weeks, I got to know her and hear her story. Unfortunately, there were many familiar aspects of her story that I had heard time and again. She had experienced abuse as a child, a catalyst for drug addiction and alcohol abuse that has been carried throughout her life. As an adult, her daughter has felonies on her record and her children are struggling. One day, she came in with a black eye and told me about her toxic, abusive relationship – a situation many people unfortunately find themselves in that is extremely difficult to be free from.
This cycle is one we try to identify and stop at the Hangar, where we believe community and faith can heal this generational trauma. She recognized this cycle in her own life and told me that she is trying to be better for her daughter and grandkids – to give them a better life and heal old wounds. At this point, I mentioned Adulting Challenge Rehab – a local faith-based intensive rehab program for people ready to get better. She said that she was interested in it, and I am hopeful to continue discussing this next step in her journey.
These days, we worked on looking for ways to obtain an ID. She visits Waco Family Medicine, and I drove her there to see if they would be able to release her medical records. Thankfully, the woman at WFM was willing to do a medical release and gave her some paperwork with a stamp and signature. These documents will enable the next step in the process – getting a social security card. This situation is another testament to the necessity of community, and the importance of helping those around you who are struggling. I am amazed by the kindness and empathy I witness in these situations, and I am so grateful for those who are ready and willing to help.
I will continue working with this young woman to obtain an ID, and I am so proud of her and others like her for making the commitment to seek help. It is not always easy, but it is certainly worthwhile.
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