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Success Stories

At Tabor, we understand how important home is to your peace of mind. Whether homeless, defaulting on a mortgage or ready to buy a first home, Tabor is there every day to help our clients find a stable, long-term place to live. Here are just a few families Tabor has guided to get back on track through housing counseling.

Coming to Jubilee House
By Kim, graduate of Jubilee House

In her own words, Kim describes her experience at Jubilee House for the past two years. Jubilee House is a transitional house for homeless women with children who have recently completed a substance abuse treatment program.

My desire to overcome my addiction brought me to this unfamiliar town. In search of some peace and freedom, I admitted myself to a six-month drug and alcohol program. Within four months, my self-destructive nature caused me to sabotage my stay there and I was asked to leave. Still determined to beat this ugly monster, I knew that my only chance for survival was to stay in Lancaster. Doing what I had to do to keep my life on track, I moved into a shelter where my children and I could share a room with another family. It was not a pleasant environment, but it was better than going back to where I had originally come from.

After a brief stay there, my family and I were accepted into a better shelter where we could have a room and a bathroom to ourselves. Times were tough but my foundation was getting stronger.

We stayed in this particular shelter for the six months that we were allowed and just when it seemed as though I was going to run out of alternatives, a miracle happened. I found out about a wonderful program that was just gearing up, called Jubilee House. Within a month I was accepted and was able to move into my own apartment that was totally furnished and equipped with all my needs.

For the first time in almost a year, I was able to cook a home-cooked meal for my children on a real stove. My children were able to sleep peacefully in their own bedrooms. The gratitude that I felt on the day we moved in is indescribable.

Jubilee House has given me a firm foundation on which to stand. With all the budget counseling and life skills classes, I feel confident that I have the tools that are necessary to lead a successful life.

With the help of the remarkable people at Tabor, I have recently moved into my own apartment in a nice neighborhood and I know that with the knowledge that I have accumulated in these last two years, I will be able to function as a responsible, productive member of society. I owe a lot to the people who made Jubilee House possible.

Evy's Journey to Self-Sufficiency

Evy, at the youthful age of 24, cares for five children, all under the age of seven, and works full-time as a certified nurse assistant. Evy's journey may sound like a typical story of a single parent household, but Evy is anything but typical. Through her determination, she overcame many extraordinary obstacles in her journey toward self-sufficiency.

Two years ago Evy was gripped with fear. She knew she needed help to make changes in her life. She found herself in a local shelter, wondering how she could start all over again, this time, on her own. At age 22, caring for four children (with the fifth on the way) was a struggle both financially and emotionally. Could she actually do it on her own?

The shelter provided Evy with much needed stability and protection and it wasn't long before Evy, a resilient 22-year-old, was referred to Tabor's Shelter to Independent Living program to help her get back on her feet. With help from her Tabor counselor, Evy established short and long-term goals, with her first to achieve her GED. She had lofty goals set for herself but she knew that it all started with square one, her GED. She accomplished her first goal with flying colors!

Evy tackled her goals one at a time, knowing that good things take time. Secondly, she maintained one lease on her own without any public assistance and moved into a larger house, providing much needed room for her children. When asked how her Tabor counselor helped her reestablish her life, Evy commented "…She helped me get an apartment and find a good landlord. A good landlord makes a difference. I don't have to worry if something is broken, I know that he will fix it. She also referred me to local telephone and electric programs that help me to budget those expenses. That's a big help in my budgeting."

Next, to increase her job skills, Evy completed a certified nurse assistant (CNA) training and now has her sights set on becoming a registered nurse (RN). In addition to her goal of becoming an RN, Evy set goals to clear up her credit, obtain a driver's license and car and eventually own her own home. She is giving herself to age 30 to achieve her goal of homeownership! Patience is difficult now that Evy sees her own potential. She knows that her dream of owning her own home is in reach. As difficult as waiting is, Evy recognizes that she needs to take life one step at a time, first things first. Transporting five children is difficult without a license or a car. But, Evy does anything but sulk. Her demeanor is one of determination, searching for solutions to her problems rather than focusing on the problem itself. That, she says, is something she learned at Tabor. "Before I came to Tabor, I thought I would fail, I expected to fail " says Evy. "Now I realize that I need to take control of my problems and work toward solving them. My kids are learning that too! I explain to my children that there are no handouts in life, and they must work for what they achieve."

Today, nearly two years since she came to Tabor, Evy is well on her way to a productive life. Two of the many things Evy says she has learned in the past years are organization and responsibility, character traits that will take her anywhere she wants to go! Evy is an excellent role model for other young mothers facing tough decisions ahead.

The Road to Success Can Be a Tough Journey

Janice is a single mom raising three teenagers. She works full-time and is saving money for a down payment on a home. This may sound typical of many families in our community until you talk to Janice about her journey to this stage of her life.

Three years ago Janice arrived at a local emergency shelter with her three children, their personal belongings and no identification papers to prove they even existed. She was a "nobody." This was the outcome of a hasty escape from a controlling, abusive husband. A stormy relationship of 14 years had finally ended.

As a child, Janice had been taught to respect others and to be a responsible individual. When she grew up she fell in love, married, and was excited about raising her own family. Her determination never wavered in spite of the verbal and physical abuse she endured. However, it did take its toll on her personally. "At the end, I had no self-esteem and I blamed myself for everything that was happening to me. I was a mess." It took all the determination she could muster, and with the support of her children she finally made the break.

Having overcome the trauma of her courageous escape, it wasn't long before Janice was referred to Tabor's Shelter to Independent Living program. Her goal was to find longer term, safe, affordable housing and to get her children stabilized in school. She was determined, and with the help of her Tabor counselor finally found an apartment in a safe community. It had been a long, tough search but her determination paid off. In the meantime, Janice registered for career development testing to help her decide training and job-skills direction.

Food service was her preferred route and Janice was hired for part-time work at a local restaurant, preparing ingredients for the salad bar. It wasn't long before her skills and determination to succeed were noticed by her supervisor. She was hired full-time and placed in charge of the salad bar. "You have no idea how proud I was when I saw my name on my first paycheck. This was mine! I was somebody! I didn't need to ask for handouts anymore."

Having accomplished her first step of finding a safe place to live and paying her own rent, Janice was ready for the next step. Together with her Tabor counselor, Janice set new goals for herself and her family. With renewed self-confidence she enrolled in Tabor's Family Savings Account program - a program designed to help low-income families achieve asset-building goals. Janice's goal was to save enough for a down payment on a house of her own. This also meant learning the responsibilities of home ownership and budgeting skills. Janice began the process by entering Tabor's home pre-purchase counseling program.

Today, almost two years later, Janice is still employed at the same restaurant, with added responsibility of training new associates. She is confident about her future. She has a close family relationship with her children, practicing and teaching them the values of life. All three had summer jobs this year. This included a learning experience for budgeting some of their income for upcoming school year necessities. As for Janice, her self-esteem restored, she says, "My counselors believed in me and that helped me believe in myself. I am so thankful for everything my Tabor counselors have done for me." She is on track to buy her first home next year. Janice is an excellent role model for others facing tough choices like she did.