‘You have to look for joy in hard times:’ Former St. Ambrose Resident Finds Hope and a New Home for the Holidays

In February 2024, Jadzeiyah, a former resident of Catholic Charities Boston’s St. Ambrose Family Shelter, was living in a storage unit with her then three-year-old daughter. Newly pregnant and escaping a domestic violence situation, Jadzeiyah was desperate for a safe and stable place to call home.  

On the coldest winter nights, she wrapped her daughter in extra blankets, crib sheets, and spare clothes that had been stored in the unit. With one hand on her daughter’s back and the other resting on her pregnant belly, she prayed for a change. 

Now, almost one year later, Jadzeiyah tucks her daughter into her own pink twin bed in her room, before lulling her three-month-old son to sleep in his crib. While their new two-bedroom apartment outside of Boston is far from complete, Jadzeiyah said she has never felt so at peace. 

“Being able to move around and cook for ourselves is amazing,” she said. “I sometimes catch myself just walking around the apartment, soaking it up.” 

Jadzeiyah said she would not be where she is today if it weren’t for the incredible staff at St. Ambrose Family Shelter, who she said worked tirelessly to secure an apartment for her and her children.  

“We first moved into the shelter in March,” she said. “It was hard at first, but we were just grateful to have a safe place to stay.” 

What Jadzeiyah didn’t expect at the time was the incredible community she would find at St. Ambrose, from her case managers to fellow residents and young mothers, who she quickly formed strong friendships with. Jadzeiyah said the staff were constantly striving to support her and her children, from providing weekly food deliveries to throwing a baby shower for her newborn son, hosted in partnership with the Notre Dame Club of Boston, complete with gifts, games, decorations, and festive snacks.  

“No one wants to be living in a shelter, but when you have support around you, it makes it easier to get through the days,” she said. “We had our own little makeshift family. We were always laughing and talking and supporting one another.” 

Beyond searching for permanent housing, Jadzeiyah said the staff were constantly working on setting her up to be self-sufficient after she moved out of St. Ambrose. 

“My case workers were amazing,” she said. “They were constantly putting us first and emailing us about opportunities – housing applications, classes, trainings. We were always talking about next steps after I moved out.” 

Thanks to her case manager’s ongoing support, Jadzeiyah said she is enrolling at Southern New Hampshire University in early January, where she will be studying criminology. Her daughter will also be starting at a local preschool in January, making it a season of exciting changes for both of them. In the meantime, Jadzeiyah and her children are enjoying the slower pace and quiet days at home, where they will spend the holidays this year baking and watching Christmas movies. 

Every time Jadzeiyah looks at her children’s smiling faces, she said she is reminded of how far she has come and why she will never give up. 

“I had a tough childhood but having my kids makes me want to do better for them,” she said. “You have to put on a brave face. You have to find the great moments and look for joy in the hard times. It makes it easier.”  

Jadzeiyah’s story was featured by the Boston Globe on the power of GivingTuesday and the impact on non-profits after a challenging year of funding cuts and uncertainty. Read the Globe story here. To learn more about how you can support Catholic Charities Boston’s clients in need, visit our Hope for the Holidays page.