Hope Walks With: Escaping Domestic Violence and Rebuilding Home

It was a February morning when Sarah Goss walked through the doors of the 100 Families office in Drew County. Pregnant with her second child, she had just left an abusive relationship and was living in a domestic violence shelter. Her two-year-old son was staying with relatives in another county, and the distance between them was more than just miles—it was heartbreak.

Sarah’s world felt like a storm she couldn’t outrun. She was unemployed, without stable housing or transportation, and facing mounting legal and financial obstacles. Each challenge seemed to build on the next, leaving her unsure where to start or how to move forward.

But that day marked a turning point.

With the help of the 100 Families Initiative, Sarah began taking small, steady steps toward rebuilding her life. Within weeks, she secured a job at a local daycare—a place that offered not only a paycheck, but purpose and community. Her new income helped fund her next milestone: a safe, affordable apartment, secured with help from a local pregnancy resource center. That apartment soon became home, a place where Sarah could finally welcome her little boy back into her arms.

As she rebuilt, others joined her journey. Volunteers furnished her new space with the basics—beds, a kitchen table, and furniture—turning four bare walls into a place of comfort and belonging. When old court fines and obligations resurfaced as roadblocks, Sarah chose to volunteer in place of payment, clearing a warrant, setting up a repayment plan, and regaining her driver’s license. That restored freedom gave her back something she hadn’t had in a long time—independence.

Once the immediate crises were resolved, Sarah focused on rebuilding her foundation. She accessed clothing resources for herself and her son and began consistent counseling to support her emotional healing and long-term well-being.

Today, Sarah’s life tells a different story. She is employed, housed, reunited with her child, legally compliant, and driving again. Her circumstances have changed—but so has her confidence.

Her story reminds us that hope is not found in the absence of struggle, but in the power of people willing to walk beside you through it.