After years of enduring domestic violence, battling addiction, and experiencing homelessness, Macie found herself separated from her two children—a baby girl and a school-aged boy—who were placed in foster care.
When Home Start staff member Yvette first contacted Macie for visitation services, she declined, overwhelmed by the weight of court-ordered programs and existing county visits. Six months later, Yvette reached out a second time and found this young mom in a different place. She expressed excitement and seemed hopeful, yet heart-broken as she explained she had not seen her children in over a month.
Yvette quickly worked to help Macie with next steps, and she also began arranging visits for this mother and her 2 children. Soon after, a new, dedicated social worker was assigned to Macie's case and took the time to truly listen and review Macie’s progress. By this point, Macie had enrolled in school, maintained steady work, and completed all her court-ordered recovery programs. Seeing her effort, the social worker immediately approved unsupervised visits—a huge step toward reunification.
From there, everything began to fall into place as Yvette remained a constant encourager and coordinator for the family to secure a brighter future. Macie moved into transitional housing, her visits became unstructured, and within just a few months, she was granted a 60-day trial that led to full reunification with her children.
Today, Macie is thriving. She’s working, caring for her two kids, and about to graduate from real estate school to earn her license. “She’s just overwhelmed with joy,” her caseworker Yvette shares. “After everything she’s been through, she’s finally where she wanted to be—together with her family and building a new life.”
Stories like Macie’s remind us why Home Start exists—and why donor support matters so deeply. With every gift, you help parents like her break through systemic barriers, find their voice again, and rebuild a safe, stable home for their children.