Rae’s Story

But it wasn’t always that way.

Growing up in New York City, she was raised in a Christian home and enjoyed a comfortable life. She attended St. John’s University, earned a degree in psychology, and worked for 10 years at a local hospital. But in 2001, disaster struck.

First, Rae suffered a tragic brain injury in a car accident that causes her memory problems to this day. Four months after that incident, doctors diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis, an incurable disease affecting the brain, spinal column, nerves, and muscle control. It was the end of her career, and by 2010 she was on disability. Depression darkened her world, and spiritually she “steered away from God.”

She moved to Atlanta for more affordable housing but continued struggling because of the high cost of medications. “I remember choosing between groceries and medicine,” she says. “It wasn’t sustainable.”

Rae tried moving to Florida, but it didn’t work out. She ended up exhausting what was left of her resources. By fall 2016, she was broke and homeless. Rae moved back to Georgia, penniless. She had nowhere to go. She was homeless for a few days before deciding to come to the My Sister’s House at Atlanta Mission.

“When I got here, I hadn’t slept in days,” Rae recalls. “My first night was amazing. I had a bed and I felt safe. It was exactly what I needed — a break from hardship and the chance to get my life in order. Whenever my disease flared up, I got the help I needed. Thanks to spiritual counseling, prayer, Bible study, and psychological care, they pieced me back together. I reconnected with the Lord, and now I thank Him every day. I’m so blessed. They helped me figure out a budget, and now I have found the perfect apartment. God has blessed me so much since I have been there.”

“I’m so grateful to everyone who supports this place. They saved my life.”