New Beginnings
Perpetual Help Home is all about fostering new beginnings for our residents and their families. This year PHH has a few of her own new beginnings; a new Executive Director has been hired, we have Common Grounds, and a childcare facility. Enjoy the stories below as you learn about triumphant battles, get to know Ms. Morales, and how PHH plans to benefit residents and the community with Common Grounds and the childcare facility.
Click here to learn how to support Perpetual Help Home and its residents and the community.
Yuvonda’s Story
Yuvonda and her daughters
Growing up my childhood was rough. Mom was in her addiction and I said when I get older I am never going to be that way. Well, I am here to tell you I did just that. I was using drugs just to have fun. I was holding down a job, taking care of my oldest daughter while trying to settle down. I got married and found out I was pregnant with my second child. She was born May of 2017 and then hurricane Harvey hit in August of 2017. I was living in Rockport and needless to say, Harvey took my home away from my family and we lost everything. My husband was focused on things he had going on and not his family so eventually he left us to bounce from place to place. Struggling to take care of my daughters, pain began to layer, leading to my addiction growing. Not wanting my daughters to go through the same things I did as a child, I asked my sister to take them in. Knowing that was the better choice at the time, the pain I felt no longer having them at my side was nothing like I ever felt before.
Having been on the streets for four years I needed to get my life together for my daughters. I was scared and knew I needed help. February 7, 2022, I moved into Perpetual Help Home and things began to change for me. I finally received the help I desperately needed from Ms. Leesa and Mrs. Stella. They selected me for the receptionist program, I learned how to interact with people again and it helped build my self-confidence. Regaining my power back gave me the strength to stay sober for 9 months. Now I have both of my wonderful daughters living back with me. My relationship with God is stronger and growing. Because of Perpetual my world is finally coming together and there are no words to express how grateful I am.
Kimberly’s Story
Today I wake up completely blessed to see another day the Lord has given me! My name is Kimberly, I am a current resident at Perpetual Help Home. Before coming to Perpetual Help Home, I was in a very abusive relationship, doing and dealing drugs off and on for 18 years, deep in depression and suicidal, faced major medical problems, in and out of rehabs and jail, and I lost all relationships with family, including my son. I became homeless and thought Jesus had given up on me.
Kimberly and her son Mason
When I heard about PHH I was in a Behavioral Unit in Georgetown, TX being released. I didn’t have anywhere to go because I had lost my job, home, and couldn’t get back with my boyfriend. I remember calling PHH to find out about the application process and everyone I talked to over the phone was so nice and caring. After talking with the staff, I thought to myself, maybe the Lord hasn’t given up on me and now I can start my life over and fulfill my goals and dreams.
When I got to PHH my first goals were to stay clean and sober and find my relationship with Jesus again. I have never lived in Victoria before, so I had to learn where everything was. With help from other ladies who lived in the home and staff in just one week I got a CNA job at DeTar Hospital. I also started attending church, bible study and NA meetings 3 to 5 times a week. I also started getting my relationship back with my son and family.
Today, I am overjoyed to say with the stability and encouragement from PHH I have gotten back into college and will graduate with my Associates in Science in Spring of 2023. I have remained clean for 18 months, I have a strong relationship with Jesus, I have kept my job at Detar Hospital, and just completed a Community Healthcare Worker Certification. I have been able to pay my car off as well as other major bills. My health is the best it has been in many years. My future goals are to finish going to school to become a RN and an addiction counselor. I want to find ways to give back to my community. Most importantly, I want to keep my faith in the Lord. I end with this: Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Leesa M. Morales
This past year I have been incredibly honored to serve as the Executive Director of Perpetual Help Home. I didn’t always know exactly what career path I would take or where I would end up but by the grace of God my journey has landed at this humbling opportunity that speaks to my passions, skillset, and guiding principle; to create an environment supporting development and growth of character, health, and life skills.
Leesa M. Morales
Over the last decade, I have dedicated my personal and professional talents toward making a positive change in the lives of those wanting a better future. It’s a journey I began when returning home for the summer of 2012 as a volunteer for the Victoria Boys and Girls Club and returned as staff the next two summers. Following the graduation of my bachelor’s degree, and the completion of my NCAA eligibility as a collegiate athlete, I sought out the local boys and girls club where I served as the Site Director of three sister locations. I was given the chance to serve as the Girls in the Game Coordinator at the University of North Texas to serve high school girls by building their leadership skills through college preparedness, career and life skills. I furthered this work as I took on a coaching role while working on my second master’s at Mercer University in Georgia. I was able to be more than a coach by becoming a mentor to my athletes passing my experiences and wisdom on. While there, I also worked with the TRIO Educational Talent Search, a program that helps high school students plan for college, careers, and life.
I didn’t think I would ever return home (maybe in retirement); God has shown me this is where I belong. I can’t begin to express the joy I get from helping my community. The women I am blessed to meet each have their own story and have made triumphant victories from long and unimaginable battles. Ladies have landed jobs after years of unemployment, better futures have been planned by starting and returning to school, sobriety has lasted months, and relationships with family and God have been renewed. I pray that after reading the stories (above) and current projects (below) you will feel inspired to monetarily support Perpetual Help Home. You allow us to continue to change lives through our tried-and-true program and find ways to improve and expand to better serve those in need in our community.
Glory be to God,
Leesa M. Morales, M.S., M.Ed., B.S.
This past year Perpetual Help Home has been busy with two projects in the works!
Common Grounds
We are creating an education center that will focus on "up-skilling" our residents and community members in our low-income area of Victoria, TX. As an organization, we have a long history of job- and life-skill training for our residents but now have a larger space. We desire to open these trainings to the community at large. Increased job skills are needed now more than ever with record unemployment stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also in this building, we will expand our small-business start-up program where we invest in our resident's small-business ventures with micro-loans.
Further, we plan to utilize this property as a community center which will host group meetings and
regular medical clinics. The common space can be rented by the day or long-term for those who may
need meeting, working space, or for private gatherings.
Childcare Facility
After a long anticipated wait, we have finally acquired a building to open up a childcare facility.
There is currently no licensed childcare facility located in the South region of Victoria. This will provide daycare services within walking distance of Perpetual Help Home for our residents who have kids. This facility will not only be opened up to the resident’s of PHH but to the public as well. There is a huge need for daycare to be easily accessible for parents on the Southside, many of whom also face limited transportation.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, renovations have been stalled. With shortages in materials and supplies progress has been hindered but we are devoted to seeing this project through to serve our residents and community.
Click here to learn how to support PHH and its efforts to help residents and the community.