Keysia had a good job in retail and a comfortable apartment with daughters Keysia and Shawniece.  When the recession hit, she lost her job and learned that the apartment she was paying rent on was in foreclosure.  She came to St. John’s for shelter.  “I felt embarrassed, stressed out,” recalls Keysia.  “I was searching for jobs, but there was nothing.”  Without any income, Keysia felt she had lost her independence.

“When you hear ‘shelter,’ you think of something scary,” says Keysia.  “But St. John’s is run like a program.”  Keysia accessed the many career resources available to residents of the shelter.  In the computer lab she searched for jobs, and she used her retail experience to run the shelter’s “boutique,” which supplies professional clothing to residents for job interviews.  

St. John’s helped Keysia find housing through the Faith and Homeless Families Initiative, but she still encountered many obstacles while trying to find work.  Working at Plates Café helps Keysia learn new skills and build her resume, so future employers can see her commitment to doing steady work.  

Keysia’s experience has given her a new perspective on life.  “Homelessness can happen to anybody at any given time,” she says.  “What’s important is that you stay focused on getting back on your feet.”