Families

United States Air Force Veteran Eric has a kind and gentle demeanor about him. He served in the Air Force in the early 2000’s at Langley Air Force Base and in Germany. “I had a relatively successful life after I came home. I worked at a correctional facility for about five years. I joined a church, met my wife, and had two daughters. We had a house, two-car garage… everything I thought I wanted at the time.” But as time went on, Eric didn’t feel happy in his marriage and asked for a divorce. “I wasn’t sure where my life…

Today, Dana is thriving with her three children and her family who supported her along the way. She believes in sharing her story through her work as a Peer Recovery Coach and in open conversations with her eldest child.

Today, Crystal is over-the-moon excited to go to work and spend time with her sweet baby boy. She finds joy in the little things, like taking walks and exploring nature.

Growing up in a loving home, Caitlyn was an active, happy kid who enjoyed gymnastics, cheerleading, and cross country. She flourished until her early middle school years when she experienced trauma that changed the course of her life. Fearing the worst and not understanding what was happening to her, she hid her pain from her family.

They enjoy hiking, going to the park, and craft projects on rainy days. They find peace in everyday life. But, it wasn’t always like this. Two years ago, Amanda was just surviving in what she called an unhealthy relationship. She was suffering from emotional and physical pain. And, for too long, she remembers feeling alone and isolated, unable to see her own light amidst the dark shadows surrounding her relationship.

The kids heading back to school – while fun and exciting – can also be a stressful and expensive time for many parents. The mid-august timeframe and kids back in school means fall is just around the corner (September 22nd to be exact!). The change in seasons usually marks a time when kids need a wardrobe refresher because last year’s styles no longer fit. Although, kids don’t always need a change of season to require new clothes, sometimes they’ll outgrow the new outfits soon after buying them!

That’s why shopping at VOA Thrift for kids clothing just makes sense! You can snag amazing finds at great value for everyone in the family.

Teresa was stable for her whole life, until she wasn’t. She was happily married and both she and her husband worked, having no trouble paying the rent. But then, her husband of twenty-nine years was diagnosed with cancer and things started to quickly spiral out of control. The prognosis was not good.

I am the youngest of 5 boys. I grew up in a small town in Ohio, about 5,000 people small. When you grow up in a small town, there isn’t much to do. Everyone drank for fun, so I did. I started when I was 14. I was good at drinking and the life of the party. By 17, I was a full-blown alcoholic and dabbling in drugs.

As the second oldest in her family, Maria has always taken on the role of caregiver. She never shied away from hard work. Her life hasn’t been without its hardships. Throughout her childhood, her mother battled a substance use disorder. At the age of 12, Maria was put into foster care, where she remained until she aged out at 18.

For 21-year-old Cierra, “one more time” had become her mantra. Just one more, it won’t hurt anything, she would think to herself. I will stop after this hit she told herself over and over again. It was not until she had her daughter that she turned “one last time” into “taking it one day at a time”.