24/7 Safety and Hope: Love Answered the Door for Sarah 

11:23 pm is the moment Sarah will always remember. After months of homelessness, uncertainty, and fear, she walked through our doors and was welcomed with open arms, even though it was 11:23 at night. 

Sarah never expected to be homeless, especially as a teenager. Even more, she never expected to be homeless with a child. 

When Sarah found herself pregnant, she did the only thing she could think of. She went to her mother. But with five other siblings, Sarah’s mom was already overwhelmed making ends meet. 

There was no room and no money for a baby. So, Sarah’s mom asked her to leave. 

Alone on the streets with a baby on the way, Sarah had to find a safe place to stay — and fast. For a while she stayed with her baby’s father. Then from one friend’s house to another.  

Having no safe, secure place to sleep is hard on any young person. It was even tougher for a mother-to-be. 

Sarah’s son Aayden was born on Christmas. And still, mother and child had nowhere to stay. 

That’s when she found Covenant House. At 11:23 pm, she came through our doors. Immediately our staff welcomed her, asked if she or Aayden were hungry, and gave them a place to sleep. “Me and Aayden felt at home right away,” she recalls. 

Sarah came to Covenant House looking for stability and support, and she took advantage of every opportunity. After securing a job, she moved into our transitional housing program, where she and Aayden had their own room.  

Within a few months, she was promoted to a manager role because of her work ethic and punctuality. She began saving money with the goal of finding an apartment and attending college. 

“I feel very blessed,” Sarah says. “I feel like I have the support now to be happy and to move on with my life.” 

For the first time since she left home, Sarah is feeling hopeful for her future. She even gives herself permission to dream. 

And her dream? It’s beautiful. One day, Sarah hopes to help other young people like her who are struggling. That’s why she is saving for college, where she wants to study social work or early childhood education. 

Sarah’s dreams are her own, yet they are made possible because of caring friends like you. Thank you for making sure our doors are open 24/7, whether it’s 11:23 at night or 6:30 in the morning. Without your generous support, we couldn’t be there for the next young person like Sarah who comes knocking.