Dawn

“My name is Dawn, and this is my story…I left my home when I was 21 years old. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my life and didn’t know how to live on my own. I went to Villages of Hope and was given opportunities to grow and thrive from day one. Through Villages of Hope, I was able to complete high school, get a job, save money, start college, and learn how to live on my own. I started working at Joann’s Cottage, assisting pregnant way-ward girls living at the family-style maternity home. I know how it feels to be neglected and abandoned so I felt it was the perfect place for me to be. The work that I do there is my passion, and I can relate to them in so many ways that a lot of people can’t. Until last year, I lived at Villages of Hope but now I am proud to say that through Habitat for Humanity, I am a homeowner! I’m very rare to come from the ‘hood and be where I am today. I feel like I have a great career. I feel like the people who came up to me and supported me – it’s my time to do that for these young girls. My favorite quote that definitely applies to me is, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.'”