… of four well adjusted, active and fit children. Our life was not always this way and this is our success story. In March of 2008 the children and I found ourselves living in a hotel room, surviving on welfare and estranged from relatives after my husband of seven years was convicted and sentenced the previous year to a term of five years for domestic violence. Our long history of domestic violence had taken a major physiological toll and left me with no possessions or means to properly raise our four children. It was only evident to me when Child Services took physical custody of the children and they were placed in foster home how “rock bottom” our situation had really become.

This traumatic experience was a blessing in disguise as it was the beginning of a bright future for my family. I went to live at Proto Types. There is where I began counseling with the Collation to End Domestic Violence. I received parenting classes and also family/individual counseling. After four months I regained custody of one of my children, then two months later I earned custody of another child. I was able to obtain employment and gain confidence for a self-sufficient future.

I entered the RAIN program in June of 2009. Through this comprehensive program we all benefited tremendously through additional family/individual counseling, including relapse prevention, self-sufficiency classes and parenting education. I quickly retained custody of my two other children, bringing the family unit together. Through this program and perseverance I was able to realize many goals such as:

• Sought and acquired a career job, completing an extensive six month training program
• Prepared, appeared and was awarded full and total custody of all four of the children from my Ex-Husband
• Reconsolidated with all of my family members
• Purchased and registered a newer model vehicle and obtained insurance for the same
• Maintained a spotless character record the entire program I

In conclusion, only because of the assistance of these programs and special people like Brenda Davidson, RAIN Project Client Services Coordinator, have I acquired knowledge, skills and confidence to break the cycle of generational domestic violence. I am now capable of being a responsible mother, employee and citizen. My children are now able to lead normal, happy childhood lives, leading on to achieve educational and life skills necessary to become productive adults. There is no way to properly express my gratitude for the life altering assistance I have received but to strive to someday assist others who are affected by domestic violence.