Leslia’s Story

Atlanta has always been my home. I was born and raised here. My community is here and I am so grateful they’ve lifted me up during the hardest times of my life.  

I became homeless because of a health crisis. I had fallen down some stairs and was living solely off of workers comp. Then, the house I rented went up for sale. I didn’t have the funds to purchase the home for me and my nephew. My workers comp ended but I still couldn’t work because of my injuries and ended up living in a hotel. From there, my savings began to deplete and I was living on one meal a day.  

A desperate prayer answered

I called my nephew’s stepfather, remembering that he had an empty room in his house before my sister passed. He said that his stepson could stay, but there wasn’t enough room for me. I weighed my options, wondering if I should sleep in the airport lobby or get on the train, riding it back and forth. My back was hurting too bad to carry my suitcases anywhere. So, I prayed about it on a Thursday. I got up on Friday morning and the number “211” came to me. The number for United Way.  

The idea of a shelter scared me. I thought it was a big room with a bunch of cots. But I called anyway and they directed me to Atlanta Mission, who I left a message for that Friday. I had enough money left to stay two more nights at the hotel. Saturday went by and Sunday morning came and I prayed and prayed that something would come through. I had to check out of the hotel Monday morning and I had nowhere to go.  

That morning, a little after 8am, the phone rang and it was Restoration House. Miss Daphne said, “We have nine beds, so you need to come in now.” All I could think was thank you, God! I had $27 left and I used $23 of it for a Lyft to get to Restoration House.  

A lifeline from Restoration House

They could see the fear and desperation in my eyes when I approached. I had no idea I was coming into something so wonderful. Miss Paula greeted me with a big smile and grabbed one of my suitcases. Miss Daphne did my intake, and just like that all of the stress rolled off my back and tears filled my eyes. It was such a relief to know that I had a bed to sleep that night. They served us lunch while we filled out paperwork and I knew that God was going to provide for me from that day forward.  

The same week, they took me to the computer room and we applied for my EBT which I got within ten days. Not long after, I was in such bad back pain that I ended up in the hospital. The doctor told me I needed to lay flat for seven days while I took my medication. Everyone at Restoration House treated me like a queen. They served me breakfast, lunch, dinner, and my medications. After I got better, I moved to Choose Help, and finally settled into My Sister’s House. 

Dreams of a better future

My Heavenly Father sent me here for a reason. It has been such a blessing. I’ve been able to participate in classes to help rebuild my faith, learn life skills, and be prepared for the next step in my journey. These classes, along with the supportive community of women I’ve met here, have been invaluable.  

Looking forward, my goal is to achieve stability in housing and finances. With the support of Atlanta Mission, I am hopeful about securing disability income and eventually becoming a foster parent. I’ve had this dream for a long time, and with the help of Atlanta Mission and My Sister’s House, I can finally see it becoming a reality.