Sadea – Pine Street Brought Me Up When I Was Down

Sadea became homeless after a significant rent increase and a job loss. “I was living in an apartment with my 12-year-old son,” Sadea says. “It was a freezing cold winter when we got evicted, and we didn’t have any place to go.”

Sadea made some difficult choices that no parent should have to make. “I was determined to make sure that my son went to school every day,” Sadea says. “We stayed at bus stations so we could use the bathroom facilities there to wash. I would buy him clothes at the dollar store so he had something to wear.”

Sadea and her son lived like this until the weather got even worse. “A blizzard was about to hit, and I decided that it was time to get help,” Sadea says. I went to Boston Medical Center and told them that my son and I needed a safe place to stay. They found me a family shelter so I could get my son out of the snow.”

Sadea learned about Pine Street’s iCater food services training program through the Heading Home program. “The iCater program teaches trainees about cooking and much more,” Sadea says. “They taught us how to build our credit and reduce debt and computer literacy. I came to work on time every day. I never wanted to miss anything.”

Recently, Sadea moved into an apartment, “In the shelter, I filled out every housing application I could,” Sadea says. “About five months ago I got a call from my case manager asking if I wanted to look at an apartment. I said, ‘I’m just looking at it?’ and she said, ‘Yes, because it’s about to be yours!’ I was in tears.”

Sadea continues, “Pine Street brought me up when I was down. Now, my son and I have a place to live. I graduated from the iCater program, and I just got a great job at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. One day, my dream is to own a food truck. I’m excited for the future.”