Charity is a vivacious young mother of five children: three girls and two boys. However, when she first entered our Shelter, she was in a state of distress and her children were very anxious.

The family was brought into Beach House Family Shelter from YWCA where they had fled from domestic violence. Once a room became available that was large enough for their family, they moved into Beach House.

Charity moved into an apartment with her boyfriend, Darius, when she discovered she was pregnant with their first child. They had dated for three months previously, and, although Charity was uncertain about the relationship, she recognized that she needed all the help she could get with a baby on the way.

As with many domestic violence situations, the physical abuse didn't start right away. Instead, Charity's boyfriend began a subtle attack on her self-esteem by gaslighting her and constantly saying negative things to her. He worked as a mechanic while Charity stayed at home with their young son, Amanté.

When Amanté was only one year old, Charity became pregnant with her second child. Adding another child to their family meant more stress for both Charity and her boyfriend. Money was tight, but after the birth of their daughter, Darius became more controlling of the family's finances. The verbal abuse also escalated as Darius started drinking and stayed away from the home more and more often.

This pattern continued for the next four years as the family of four grew to a family of six. Darius's abuse grew worse and more violent. He began to have sudden bouts of anger brought on by seemingly inconsequential things.

In 2020, Charity became pregnant for the fifth time. Her oldest child, Amanté, was eight. The other children ranged in age from six to one.

During the COVID epidemic, Darius lost his job, and this was the final straw for him. He began physically abusing Charity, usually in the evenings after he'd been out drinking. Fearing for her life and the life of her children, including the child she was pregnant with, Charity made quiet plans to escape the home.

The YWCA of Northwest Ohio in Toledo assisted Charity with fleeing from her husband. The YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter offers 17 rooms with 46 beds to services for survivors of domestic violence. Charity was able to find shelter at the YWCA as she waited for a room to become available at Beach House Family Shelter.

Charity gave birth shortly after arriving at Beach House Family Shelter. She and her children entered the Shelter afraid and anxious. Charity kept the children in her room most hours of the day and night, because she was experiencing symptoms of PTSD and was terrified they would be hurt or found by Darius.

Slowly, she came out of her shell and, through our case management services and educational programs, Charity was able to find stability. Her children thrived at the Shelter, where 60% of our Participants are children.

For our current and future Participants, the need for comprehensive services continues to grow. To meet that need, we have big plans. And big plans call for big dollars. We need your help. Will you partner with us to meet the needs of our community? You can give by PayPal , or by mailing a check to Leading Families Home, 2910 W. Central Avenue, Toledo, Ohio 43606.

Thank you for always being faithful partners in our mission — helping families transition from homelessness to permanent housing. Together we’ve got this.

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