A Place to Feel Safe
When Amber arrived at Yakima Union Gospel Mission’s Family Shelter with her son, she wasn’t just looking for a place to sleep. She was looking for somewhere they could finally feel safe.
After fleeing a domestic violence situation, Amber had to relocate while navigating an ongoing court case. Another shelter had no room, and the uncertainty weighed heavily on her and her son.
“I felt like a fish out of water at first,” Amber remembers.
But from the moment they arrived, she discovered something unexpected.
People listened. People cared. People helped.
“Everybody was compassionate and helpful with the whole process,” she says. “They go above and beyond. Your voice is heard.“
"I'm safe. My kid can play in the yard, and we could finally relax." — Amber
Staff connected her with resources, prayed with her, and helped her prepare for greater independence — even helping fix her resume.
“That’s something family would do for you.“
Her son found something just as important: he got to be a kid again. A safe yard, other children to play with, a little normalcy in one of the hardest seasons of his young life.
“No matter what’s going on, the kids can play in the yard and feel normal,” Amber says.
Looking back, that’s the moment she remembers most — not the fear, but the relief of finally being safe.
Today, the Mission is where Amber found support, friendship, and renewed hope. Most of all, it’s where she and her son began healing together.
Because of generous friends like you, more families can experience that same hope this holiday season.
