by Georgia Mjartan, Executive Director
Standing in the doorway of her classroom,
Ms. Lola looks back at her hardy group of
preschoolers. Three are new, just checked into
the Shelter this week. She takes a moment to
brag on one of the four-year-olds. “He is so
good at math!” The blond-headed boy looks
up from his lunch, a Mexican casserole. Clearly
he feels good. His belly is full. He got a good
night’s sleep. He got to ride a fast circle around
the playground on a paved tricycle track just a
few minutes ago. And he has a teacher who is
proud of him.
Outside, his older sister ducks into the shade.
There’s a spot outside our new Children’s
Center that everyone loves—kids and adults
alike. A patch of cushy Astro-turf creates an
eternally grassy spot despite being tucked
under an overhang, always in the shade. Big
sister is talk ing with some friends, two other
girls who know how to be silly, who love to
dance, and who share with her the traumatic
experience of homelessness.
Two weeks ago, these children were living in a
different state with a mother who was repeatedly beaten by their father. Dad went to jail.
They didn’t have enough money to live with him
gone. One day they were there. The next day
they were in Arkansas. Everything familiar was
gone, all of their friends, all of their belongings.
But they were somewhere safe, at Our House.