Local Family Achieves Success Through Talbot Interfaith Shelter

Talbot Interfaith Shelter (TIS) is much more than a homeless shelter. Every guest that walks through its doors participates in TIS’ S4 Program, which is designed to guide local families and individuals step-by-step from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Each “S” represents a phase of the program: Shelter, Stability, Support, and Success. Guests will achieve many milestones as they rebuild their lives, but they all have their eye on the last “S.” Success means they are able to live independently once again.
Mother of two Angie, is a glowing example of how drastically one’s life can change through Talbot Interfaith Shelter. Angie lived at TIS’ family home, Easton’s Promise, from 2016 to 2017. With her, she had her 8-year-old daughter, her 1-year-old son, and a newborn baby boy. Tragically, in November of 2016, Angie’s newborn passed away in his sleep while at the shelter. Angie credits TIS with providing tremendous support and comfort during her time of grief.
“They did nothing but be there to support me and my family. With all our financial needs, our emotional support needs, in any way and every way they possibly could,” she shares.
Despite the circumstances, Angie remained steadfast in her resolve to work hard for her family while in the S4 Program – a testament to her incredible strength. She participated in TIS’ life skills classes, which taught her important tools that she still employs to this day.
“It showed me how to be an independent mom, how to get back into the workforce and conquer the fears that I had of, at the time, being a single mom. And told me how to parent my children the proper way, to where they could grow into [the] good, civilized human beings that they are today,” Angie says. “I’ve [also] learned what the value of a dollar is… I don’t just go blow the money that I work hard for on everything and anything. I budget my bills. I have a savings account. And I don’t tell my kids yes about everything. That was my biggest problem… I could never tell my kids no.”
Angie and her family left Talbot Interfaith Shelter in 2017. The first few years were difficult financially, but she stuck to what she learned in the S4 Program and was secure in the knowledge that support was always available to her. When times were lean, TIS made sure her family had Thanksgiving dinner, gifts under the tree at Christmas, and everything they needed to thrive.
Six years after leaving the shelter, in April of this year, Angie bought her own house – a single family home on almost 2 acres of land. She is a chef at a local restaurant, is reunited with her husband, and is loving life. She is also thrilled with the influence that Talbot Interfaith Shelter had on her children, particularly her daughter, who is now a sophomore in high school.
“My son… he turned one while we were at TIS, so he didn’t quite know what was going on. My daughter – it took some adjusting for her. She, at times, did become rebellious, but through the community, and through the help there at the shelter, my daughter did a complete turnaround. She is now, today, an honor roll student. She has a 4.0 grade average, and she’s becoming a very successful young adult.”
When she reflects on how far she has come since her time at Talbot Interfaith Shelter, Angie is sometimes left in disbelief. “I sometimes sit in my driveway when I get home from work, and I feel like I’m in a big dream, that it’s not real, that I couldn’t have come this far in this short amount of time,” she says. “And daily, when I pray, I thank this organization for how far I’ve come. Because if it wasn’t for them, I would not be where I am today.
Talbot Interfaith Shelter is a homeless shelter and transitional housing program based in Easton, MD and serving the five counties of the Mid-Shore (Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Annes). They have developed the innovative and comprehensive S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success), which is designed to guide local families and individuals from homelessness to self-sufficiency.
Guests begin at one of TIS’ two neighboring shelter homes – Easton’s Promise for families and Evelyn’s Place for single men and women – where they receive rigorous case management and attend life skills training while they work to attain financial stability. Once they are ready, guests move into one of TIS’ off-site transitional apartments, where they continue to receive case management while their portion of rent gradually increases until they can sustain all of their expenses.
To learn more about Talbot Interfaith Shelter and how to help, visit https://talbotinterfaithshelter.org or contact Julie Lowe at 410-310-2316 or julielowe@talbotinterfaithshelter.org.