Family at Work

At Inasmuch House (IH), we see lots of different types of families. It’s hard not to feel a familial connection with colleagues and the women here, and I believe this is something which translates for the IH residents as well. Often, women spend a significant amount of time here, and may be disconnected from their own families, friends, culture, and their sense of normalcy. When they are able to find another woman or family living at IH whom they may identify with, you see a special connection happen and level of support offered that only they are able to understand and provide to one another.

When I reflect on the work, I have always felt a great sense of privilege that the women and children seeking support at Inasmuch are willing to share their most intimate and often traumatic stories and experiences with me. The children always amaze me with their resilience. Sometimes, women arrive at IH pregnant or with an infant, and as a team we are able to watch the child develop and grow, and that is always really special.

The best part about the job is being able to celebrate the successes with each woman. Whether she has found a new home, a new job, enrolled in school, or reached a goal she has been working on for a long time, seeing the genuine happiness and excitement in those moments reminds me why I value the work I do.

However, it is unfortunate that we continue to require safe spaces for women and children to flee to in times of need. I wish that all women and children were able to live in safety every day. But the reality is the issues of Domestic Violence and homelessness are real and ongoing.

The staff help to create a family environment. They eat lunch with us, are very helpful, and check in on the moms and kids. It feels home-like here because there are a lot of supports in-house and the staff are great at community partnerships like daycare and other providers. It feels like wrap-around supports. And the kids are not isolated because there are other kids here to play with. – Inasmuch House Resident

I came from a rough environment to Inasmuch and the difference is nice. The staff are always there for me. Some of the women really support each other….There are similar stories that bring us together. – Inasmuch House Resident