The Pursuit of Hope:

On a very cold, winter's day in January 2007, I visited a homeless shelter for women dealing with drug addictions & domestic abuse. It is a place which allows the women and their children to reside for one year.


I walked into a bedroom which the 30 women share. It was as if the room was
screaming out, "Save me!" I knew I had found my calling--a passion and
purpose which, I was sure would lead to the transformation of, not just a
room, but the lives of many women.

The old, prison-like beds lead me to believe the women must lay in them each
night yearning for a dream to quietly soothe their hearts and lull them to a
peaceful sleep.
The used nursing home bedspreads could not comfort them on days when they
just didn't want go on. Stained towels, sheets, mattresses and pillows
reminded me of how their souls must feel.

There wasn't even lighting by each bed for the nights when the women
couldn't fall asleep until they could write down their thoughts and dreams
in a journal.

Most sadly, the dreary color reflected how their spirits had been broken.

I was determined to create a bedroom which would enable the women to awaken
to a room which would remind them everyday, ''I am precious. I am worthy. I
am not a victim. I have the power to stop the torch of abuse & addictions from being
passed on to my children"

Many items and services were donated to make the Hopeful Haven
transformation happen as I hoped it would. Such things as ceiling fans,
lockers, carpet, bath robes, slippers, journals, lightening, flower pots,
flower boxes, used items to resell at shelters resale shop to help wipe shelters $150,000 deficit, air
conditioners for all the rooms in the shelter, 3 sets of washer & dryers, 4
baby cribs, $8,000 to revamp the women's bathroom, twig shutters, homemade
curtains, wall words, beauty products, homemade art from Australia, a wall mural, decorative
painters, lamp shades made out of vintage buttons, night stands, vintage homemade ironing table, iron and a vacuum.

Beyond the new color, carpet, bedspreads, baby cribs, new beds and the new lighting, the most touching
thing found in the room are photographs of the women who currently live at
the shelter. They were placed on the wall so that all the future women who
find their way to safety will know there is hope.

Testimonials from the women after there own personal makeover:

As she was dancing across the room, '' I finally feel normal again.''

''Please Terry take a picture of me so my family can see how beautiful I really am.''

''Gosh I'm Gorgeous!!''