“A Promise Kept on Halloween”

“It was great… and then it was not.” That’s how Katy begins her story—raw and honest. Life had been steady for years, until everything changed. “The first time my son and I became homeless was literally just off a 30-day notice. I had done nothing wrong. I had been there for five years, and I never thought I would leave.”

When that notice came, everything fell apart. “We started living in my car for a while, and then I lost that car. I didn’t know what to do next.”

She eventually moved in with her mom for six months, hoping things would settle down. But then came another blow. “It was a Wednesday. I took a nap and woke up to the house completely empty. She was gone. The next day, she turned off the water and AC.” With nowhere for them to go, the struggle became overwhelming. “I tried to work something out with the landlord, but he wanted nothing to do with it after he found out the water was off. So then, we were just in hotels. I had gotten another car by then, but that car broke down too, so we didn’t have a car anymore. We started renting cars to get around, staying in hotels, and then sleeping in the rental cars when we couldn’t afford the hotel.”

Eventually, she reached out to Phoenix Rescue Mission. They referred her to House of Refuge Sunnyslope. “That’s when I got in contact with House of Refuge Sunnyslope. I got here on Halloween.”

She smiles when she remembers that day. “I promised my son, ‘We’re going to get a home by Halloween.’ And then the day of Halloween, we moved in. I was like, oh God, You are so good!”

Walking through the door felt like a dream. “My first thought was, ‘This apartment is amazing—I finally have a home.’ I remember thinking, we can cook again! There was stuff in the pantry—mac and cheese, pasta, sliced cheese in the fridge. That night, I made mac and cheese. I was so happy.”

What made her time at House of Refuge Sunnyslope even more meaningful was the sense of community. “I love the community of women here,” she shared. Having Suzanna as a strong support system was a blessing in her journey. She also enjoyed the practical tools the program offered. “One of my favorite classes is the financial class—it helped me so much.”

She especially remembers a class Barry, the Facility Director, taught on simple home maintenance. “Barry—oh, I love him… when he did that training, I told him, you need to do that again. I really took that information, and now I’m thinking about it in my new apartment. That class was so helpful for when I have my own home.” These experiences gave her confidence and hope for the future.

When she looks back on where she started, she admits she didn’t have clear goals. “It was such a dark place,” she shared. But with time, that changed. “We came from no stability for a good year. Now, getting my son back in a good state of mind was an accomplishment. The next step will be a car—and one day, I want to own a home.” Her dreams reflect the hope she’s rediscovered, and every class, every piece of encouragement brings her closer to that reality.

Looking back now, she reflects, “It’s crazy how God moves. Everything happens for a reason.

Today, her story is no longer about loss but about hope, faith, and a fresh start. A promise kept—and a new beginning.