When Olivia walked across her high school graduation stage, she had no idea her life was about to change forever. The very next day, she found out she was pregnant. She was 19 years old, working server shifts to make ends meet, and had no family support to fall back on. College, independence, the future she had imagined all felt suddenly out of reach. With nowhere to live and a baby on the way, she did the bravest thing she could think of. She asked for help.
That’s how Olivia found Good Sam.
Olivia arrived at Good Sam with her guard up. In her mind, a “women’s shelter” was a setback, not a place where she would bring her child into the world. She was certain she wouldn’t like it. But from the moment she walked through the door, something surprised her.
The staff knew her name. Warm, friendly faces greeted her every time she came home. She connected with the other women around her and found something she hadn’t expected: genuine community. “Everybody made me feel seen and welcome,” she says. She hadn’t just found a place to stay. She had found a place to belong.
There was even a small moment of faith that sealed it for her. When she was shown to her room during the tour, it was Door Number 7 and for Olivia, who holds her faith close, it felt like a sign that she was where God wanted her to be. She moved in the following week.
A few months later, Olivia’s son Adrian came into the world. Good Sam was his very first home.
Olivia had never held a baby before in her life. The thought of being responsible for another person was terrifying. But surrounded by other mothers and a caring staff who checked in on her regularly, she found her footing one day at a time. She asked questions. She learned. She grew.
And then one day Adrian smiled for the first time. Then he laughed. And Olivia watched it all, soaking in every moment. “It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” she says.
Having never lived on her own before, Good Sam gave Olivia something far greater than shelter. With staff beside her every step of the way, she learned to cook, to budget, and to care for herself and her son. She found childcare, kept showing up to work, and completed our Matched Savings Program. She bought a new car big enough for both of them. Step by step, she built the confidence to take on whatever life had ahead.
The community around her made all the difference. “I didn’t even know how to live by myself,” she says. “I’m very glad I had people alongside me to help me.”
Every holiday, the staff made sure Olivia and Adrian were celebrated and never forgotten. Every day, there was a friendly face to come home to. What she had feared would be a setback turned out to be the foundation she never knew she needed.
Today, Olivia looks toward the future with a heart full of hope. She dreams of a home where Adrian can run in the yard, get dirty, and feel loved by her. She pictures herself cheering him on at his first soccer game, packing the snacks, watching him discover who he is meant to be.
“I just want to give him the childhood I never had,” she says.
She is already well on her way. With a new car, a growing savings account, and a belief in herself she didn’t know was possible, Olivia is ready. And she wants other young mothers who might be in the same place she once was to know this: “Trust in the process.”
As for Good Sam being Adrian’s first home? Olivia is thankful. “I’m very, very glad this was our first home,” she says. “Now I know that we’re going to be ok.”
And we believe her.
Together, we can help families like Olivia's find the future they are dreaming about.
Your support helps make new beginnings possible. Partner with us this July during our Double Your Good campaign to help neighbors facing homelessness reach stability and find hope.
Right now, your gift will be MATCHED thanks to our generous Double Your Good sponsors for double the impact!