December 2, 2024
Mia, a 43-year-old woman, arrived at Rainbow’s emergency shelter with obstacles that she felt were beyond her ability to solve on her own. In addition to poverty, domestic violence, and homelessness, Mia’s was struggling with her mental health. After learning that her 12-year-old child was sexually abused, Mia spiraled into a harmful and dark depression. Through these challenges, Mia found herself in the streets of Los Angeles with no place to go and with a child who had undergone severe trauma. Calling Rainbow’s emergency hotline was a challenge for Mia. She knew that she had to disclose information that she would rather never speak of, but decided to reach out despite her fears.
The first few weeks of being at the shelter were challenging for Mia. She struggled to be productive and take advantage of the support and resources available to her. Due to her trauma, she had a hard time controlling her emotions and took out her anger on those around her. Her child kept to themselves and spent most of their time sleeping and isolating. Both Maria and her child had difficulty communicating in a healthy manner and showing signs of affection.
As time progressed, Mia’s child showed interest in going back to school and slowly began to open up. Through the help of Rainbow, Mia’s child was enrolled in a back-to-school clothing program, which provided her with both clothing and supplies, and her eagerness to start school grew. Mia continued to struggle emotionally, and her case manager referred her to the mobile clinic for a physical and the opportunity to start counselling. Fortunately, Mia took advantage of this opportunity and began to engage more with the Residential Manager and Residential Advocates. This was a huge step in the right direction, and Maria started to work towards healing. Mia then made the decision to apply to Rainbow’s transitional shelter, and she was accepted!
Mia was finally able to better communicate with staff, and she followed through with her mental health referral which lead to her getting on necessary medication. All these changes allowed her mood and personality to brighten. This was only the beginning of a radiant and healthy future for Mia and her child. When Mia’s family exited the shelter, she had tears in her eyes and told the staff, “these tears are pure joy. This is just the beginning of our healing.”
