Kristina came to her Furniture Bank appointment with her young daughter and son in tow. With the support of one of our shelter agencies, she had recently left an abusive situation and was now ready to start a new life for herself and her children in the west end of the Greater Toronto Area.
Her young son was excited about his first day of school coming up and Kristina, looking tired and drawn, was concerned. They had just transitioned out of the shelter and their new home was empty.No one was getting any sleep on the floor and the “picnic dinner” was no longer met with the same excitement from her youngsters. And where would her son complete his school work? She felt as though she was not creating the stable environment that she wanted for her family.
When our volunteer worked with Kristina, her stress began to fall away as she watched her children laughing as they tested out every sofa and snuggled together in an armchair. When she saw them playing restaurant at a table and having a pretend conversation about their “wonderful dinner”, she knew that everything would be alright and that she was on the right road to a safe, stable home.
By the time that they left that day, after choosing beds for everyone, a dining table and chairs and a new television, Kristina was smiling and relaxed. Her son has now moved on in school, getting amazing grades and living life with joy. It’s time for her daughter’s first day soon and the entire family is looking forward to the future without any fear.*To protect her safety, we have changed Kristina’s name and not included her photo.
