When Kaitlyn and her 7-year-old son, Nate, lost their housing and were living in a small motel room in Portage, she did everything she could to keep life stable, from faithfully getting him to school without a car, applying for jobs, and seeking housing closer to family. She didn’t have friends or family to help, so God directed her to us.
Leona, a family coach volunteer, met with Kaitlyn and helped meet immediate needs such as warm winter clothing. Realizing she needed temporary support to give Nate more stability, Kaitlyn asked us to help with temporary hosting.
Safe Families volunteers Dustin & Laura welcomed Nate into their home, and what started as a two-week stay grew into nearly two months. They later shared how deeply they felt Kaitlyn’s trust and how much the experience stretched and shaped them, growing their gratitude, and giving them a meaningful glimpse into parenting.
Nate bonded closely with Dustin. Transportation was a major challenge, and volunteers from Valley Family Church stepped in to help, along with Jan from Haven Church, picking Nate up from school and finding fun ways to fill the afternoons.
Throughout the hosting, Leona stayed closely connected with Kaitlyn, encouraging her as she found a job, saved money, and waited for housing approval. When she was finally approved for an apartment, Leona coordinated furniture and essentials so she and Nate could start fresh and with dignity. Their reunion in their new home marked the end of the immediate need for support, but not the relationship. The connection between Kaitlyn, Dustin & Laura, and all the volunteers remains warm and ongoing.
This is the impact of community: a mother’s courage, a family’s generosity, several volunteers’ steady presence, and a child’s resilience coming together to create lasting hope.
No one should face a crisis alone. The love of God often shows up through His church and His people who come alongside a family in need at just the right time.
