Caressa felt she and her little girl were doing fine—until COVID took her job, their security, and their hope. Without Nashville Rescue Mission and friends like you to turn to in their hour of need, she doesn’t know how they would have ended up, or

where . . .

Caressa remembers exactly when everything began to fall apart for her and her daughter: “Back in 2020, when the economy shut down—things shut down—and I went into a deep depression.”

I had a nice job, lost it due to COVID: COVID changed everything . . .

“I’m daily looking for a job,” Caressa says, “I just wanted that work”—that chance for everything to be simple again, easy—but, “it’s just hard.”

Isolated, without family or friends to count on, “it was just me and my daughter,” she says. “As time went on,” she admits, “I got more severely depressed.”

Much of that was because she already knew what happens when you can’t make rent, having experienced the heartache of homelessness, “about eight years ago,” she says.

“I had a nice townhome and gave up everything to take care of my dad. The other siblings wouldn’t help: it was family drama,” Caressa recalls.

“My dad was very sick. I’m the only one who took care of him, and it was so much drama that it pushed me away”—straight into homelessness.

But thankfully, “I ran into a pastor who helped me,” Caressa remembers. “And there was a family from church that welcomed me into their home and helped me get back on my feet.”

Yet during these difficult days for so many in need across Nashville and Middle Tennessee, “This time was different,” Caressa says.

Different because there seemed to be no end to the suffering in sight. No steady work. No affordable way to feed herself and her little girl. Even more frightening, no reasonable way to keep a roof over their heads:

“The economy’s so hard,” Caressa says. “I looked everywhere, it’s so expensive!”

Imagine having to tell your child you may be sleeping on the street, hungry and alone.

But God saw their desperation and potential danger, and He led them here—to Nashville Rescue Mission, where friends like you could bless and encourage them with meals, help, and hope.

“The staff welcomed me,” Caressa says, “Then the person I share a room with welcomed me, then I started talking to more people, and that was more encouraging!”

Once Caressa knew they were safe, warm, and welcome, she immediately began planning how they could start over again—and give back while they have a home with us.

“I’m an easygoing person,” Caressa says. “I like talking to people, and I like helping people!”

The practical wisdom and spiritual support she’s receiving is also helping keep her grounded. “I know everything’s a process, everything takes time, so you have to learn how to be patient: things will come to you!” she says.

I have a lot of hope here. I really do!

As Caressa looks forward, she’s embracing the new life she’s found at the Mission. “I’m doing what I need to do to come out of here, get back on my feet, back into this economy,” she says.

With the renewed hope and confidence she’s found here, Caressa is certain she’ll successfully get a job so she can work around her daughter’s school schedule and find a place to live!

But the hope and sense of purpose she’s found could never have happened without help like yours providing the opportunity for a new life—now and in the new year ahead. Thank you!