“I wanted to get my family back together.” That was Tammie Jackett’s focus when she moved to Arkansas to support her son Jonathan, who had taken full custody of his son Colson and who also was struggling to rebuild his life after addiction and incarceration. They were also united by grief, as Tammie’s daughter had recently passed away. Tammie wanted to be with her son and grandson and help them start a successful life together.
But the process was difficult. Both struggled to find jobs, especially with the dual challenges of child care and Jonathan’s criminal record. They alternated between sleeping in hotels and sleeping in their van. They heard about Our House, and so they began sleeping in their van near Our House so they could be ready first thing in the morning if a family room opened up. After three nights, a room did open up, and they moved in.
“I was assuming it was a normal homeless shelter and at first I just didn’t want to do it,” Tammie recalled. “But when we got here I thought, this is not what I pictured. It’s better than some houses we’ve lived in. The rooms are very clean, and they’re expected to stay clean. There’s accountability, and there should be, for what we’re getting.”
They were also able to enroll Colson into our Bright Beginnings early childhood program. “ It’s amazing that there is day care right here on campus,” Tammie said. “ It helps people so much, because it’s hard to find. It’s the number one thing that you need when you’re trying to find a job.”
Both are currently enrolled in our job training program, and both work as gatekeepers at our campus entrance, where they are developing positive job experience and skills related to safety and customer service. And they both take their jobs very seriously. “We see different types of people come through the gate. We all have a story, and we all deserve to get help. If they come to the gate, they’re looking for help. So I just try to give them as much information as I can give them, be friendly, and help them the way you would want to be helped.”
They actively participate in other programs on campus, including mental health support and parenting classes. Tammie reflected, “Everybody has room for improvement. And it has been a long time since I have raised a three-year old!” Their goals now are to get their van fixed (it broke down soon after they arrived), find permanent jobs, save money, and move out into their own home. And they are well on their way.
