Victoria spent many years in a deep spiral of struggling with drug addiction and losing the desire to live. In desperation, she called her cousin and that plea for help saved her life. With her cousin’s support, Victoria took a 17-hour bus ride from Dodge City, Kansas to Pasadena, Texas to find shelter with her family. There, she gave birth to her daughter and entered an outpatient substance abuse treatment program. This program focused on giving Victoria the tools she needed for pregnancy and parenting children. After graduating from the program, she moved to Houston and spent a short time at the Women & Family Development Center at Star of Hope’s Cornerstone Community®. It was here that she discovered she had qualified to move into her own apartment at New Hope Housing Reed, just across the street.
When she opened the door to her new apartment, reality set in. This was her home, one filled with hope and opportunity. “I enjoy the freedom to make my own choices, to be an adult, and not feel like I am institutionalized,” she said. Victoria sees herself living at New Hope Housing Reed for four more years and then plans to buy a new home where she can raise her daughters. “I know I can do it!” she proudly exclaimed.