“Proverbs 3:5 says, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding,” says LaToria, a 36-year-old single mother living at Joy House. “So every day, I get up and tell God, ‘I trust you. I trust you for the clothes I’m wearing and the food we’ll eat. When I walk out this door, I will trust you with everything, because I can’t do this alone anymore.’”

LaToria worked hard for almost 15 years, serving as a caregiver for elderly patients at a group home. It didn’t pay a lot, but it was enough to support her family — and she was passionate about the work she did. “I loved being able to help,” she says. “So many older adults don’t have anyone to help them. They’re forgotten.”

But over the years, it became harder for LaToria to make ends meet. “Times were hard,” she recalls. “Then, when I lost my home, my life totally spiraled down. I was lost and I didn’t know what to do. I needed something, but I didn’t know what. Finally, I came to Joy House.”

LaToria found a lot of help with classes about topics like budgeting and parenting. And for the first time, she developed a real relationship with Jesus Christ and started attending church.

“Joy House also became like a family,” she says. “They encouraged me and helped me believe I could accomplish what I wanted. Now, I’m transitioning to new housing and I’m going back to college for nursing.

“I’m a single mom, and it’s hard. But every day, I ask God for strength and to guide me. That’s my life now: trusting in God and trying to be the best mom I can be. I want to thank all the donors who made this possible for me!”

Help others like Latoria.