Gloria’s Story

“Living from paycheque to paycheque, you don’t realize how fast it can catch up to you. For a single woman it’s so easy to get caught up and to become homeless. It’s really easy. I never thought it would happen to me, but it did.”

In 2012 Gloria was homeless. She found shelter at the E4C Women’s Emergency Accommodation Centre (WEAC), then E4C Elizabeth House. These programs support people where they are at, without judgement. Interim housing gave Gloria the stability she needed to get her life back on track.

When she was ready Gloria connected with the E4C Shelter Exit Team. She made a goal to have her own place for her birthday — and she did. “When I got the keys in my hands, I was pretty excited. The day I got my own place was a fabulous day.”

Through her connection to E4C, Gloria learned how to take care of her physical and mental health, and developed important relationships. She enrolled in a Community Service Learning course. She connected to the Welcome Home program where she met two friends and started a book club. “It’s about getting out and enjoying myself. I’ve had fun experiences and I’ve been learning new perspectives.”

“Everyone has been wonderful in helping me and being supportive of everything. But the rest is up to me. It’s up to me to pay the rent, to pay the bills, to get the groceries. And I like that. Having that responsibility. Because if you forget one of those things, you’re back to where you were. And I don’t want to go back; I want to keep moving forward.”