When Hope Comes Home
In 2025, one family reminded us why this work matters.
When Maria* first came to us in December of 2022, she was fighting a battle that had taken nearly everything from her, including her ability to care for her two young daughters, Lily (5) and Sofia (3). The girls arrived at the Salvation Army’s Nurturing Center fragile and withdrawn. They were severely malnourished, frightened of unfamiliar faces, and unable to speak. For the first several weeks, they cried through every visit. Trauma had quieted their little voices.
But even in those early days, there was something stronger than fear - there was love.
A few months after visits began, Maria made the courageous decision to enter treatment. While she worked on her recovery, Lily and Sofia were placed together in a loving foster home where they began to flourish. By the summer of 2023, the transformation was remarkable. The once-silent girls became chatty, joyful, and curious. They would run into visits excited to see staff, always asking about the snacks they looked forward to. They were healthy. They were safe. They were becoming themselves again.
Maria was working toward reunification, determined to rebuild her life and bring her daughters home. But recovery is rarely a straight path. By the end of 2023, she experienced a setback and relapsed.
Still, she did not give up.
Maria re-entered treatment and recommitted herself to healing. When visits resumed in September 2024, the girls were overjoyed to see their mom. This time, Maria looked different. She was healthy, steady, HOPEFUL. She had secured a full-time job and set her sights on one goal: staying clean and bringing her daughters home for good.
Over the next 14 months, they rebuilt their rhythm as a family. They met three to four times each week, dancing in the visitation room, singing songs, playing board games, finishing homework, and soaking in the gift of ordinary moments together. Maria never missed a visit. Even on days she arrived sick and had to be sent home, she showed up. She worked hard. She followed every step required. She secured housing assistance and created stability piece by piece.
In October 2025, Maria brought Lily and Sofia home.
Proud does not begin to describe it. Staff had the rare privilege of walking alongside this family for nearly three years - through heartbreak, perseverance, healing, and triumph. We do not always get to witness such a full-circle outcome.
This family’s story is not just about recovery. It is about resilience. It is about the power of consistent support. And it is about a mother who chose, again and again, to fight for her children…and two little girls who never stopped loving their mom.
Hope, sometimes, takes time.
And sometimes, it comes home.
*Names changed to protect privacy.