“I was really going through it.” Jasma McCorkle was homeless, living in a shelter and struggling with anxiety and depression. “Getting out of the shelter was really good for me, but my mind was all over the place. I felt like I was unfit to care for my daughter, Layla, and knew I needed help.” That’s when a Case Manager told Jasma about Safe Families (SFFC).
Through SFFC, a weeklong hosting was arranged with a volunteer host family for Jasma’s daughter. The family encircled Jasma and helped her focus on achieving her dreams, which included earning her GED. They bought her clothing so she could attend GED courses.
A short time later, Jasma’s car broke down. SFFC connected Jasma with a mechanic, and it was determined the car was not salvageable. A few days later, a partner church contacted SFFC and asked if anyone could benefit from a car recently donated to them. SFFC staff shared Jasma’s story with the pastor and they all agreed, Jasma was the one to receive the car. “I was in tears how God put these people in my path and chose me. I’m so humbled because that car has helped me get to work so I can raise my daughter.”
Months passed, but Jasma felt like she needed additional hosting support to fully manage and overcome her anxiety and depression. So, Jasma reached out to SFFC again. This time a second host family stepped in and cared for Layla for a month. “They were so supportive and welcomed Layla like she was their own. They weren’t just volunteer hosts. They showed up at my house with groceries, gift cards, clothes, and gifts at Christmas and birthdays. No one has ever done that before.”
As the second hosting ended, staff asked if additional help was needed. Jasma shared she wanted to pass her GED and she’d been taking classes, but they weren’t helping. So, SFFC staff put a request out to see if any volunteers had the ability, interest, and time to provide tutoring to Jasma. That’s when Jasma met Scott and Holly, who tutored Jasma for over seven months. “They didn’t give up on me. Even when I didn’t pass the test after we studied so hard, they stuck by me, encouraging me and staying with me. Our hard work paid off and I finally passed!”
Next, Jasma started trucking school, quickly graduated, got hired by a trucking company and needed to start on-the-job training for six weeks out of state. This job was an answer to years of prayer, but Jasma needed care for her daughter. Confident in knowing SFFC was the only safe Circle of Support in her life, Jasma reached out to SFFC and two volunteer families stepped in to host Layla. Jasma graduated and is working full-time, achieving her dream of providing a better life and future for herself and her daughter, Layla.
“I am so thankful and grateful for SFFC. I think SFFC has stayed by me for this long because of my gratitude and attitude. I’ve been so determined to get better and do better. I always felt safe with SFFC. I have felt loved and cared for. I am seen. They love not just me, but my daughter. That’s not something you see every day. SFFC will always have my heart!”
