As homeless families fight for their survival, roles often get reversed, as parents can not always provide for their kids, and the children worry about the future. Nonetheless, both carry the hope for a brighter road ahead.
Arnetta Williams and her family have endured much. For three months last year, in the dead of winter, they were without a home. They began by staying at a friend's residence, but their stay was temporary.
The family felt they had nowhere to turn. "I did not want to stay in a shelter because I had bad experiences one time before," said Williams. 10-year-old Jordan Curtis, Williams' son, confessed, "I thought that people were going to be mean to me and my mom."
In the end, the family stayed at the Code Blue shelter in Salisbury. It was there that they found the security they desperately needed.
Jordan smiled as he said, "They fed us and they gave us something to sleep on and they kept us warm. And I liked it." His older brother, 11-year-old Keshawn Williams, agreed. "I was happy because we could play stuff in a safe place," said Keshawn.
More obstacles were still ahead. "We lived in Somerset County. So they (the children) had to start a new school and start over," said Williams.
So her five children went to school, met their friends, came back to the shelter and did their homework. Along the way, though, they lost some of their innocence.
"I felt like kids were going to tease on me just 'cause I didn't have a place to live," admitted Jordan.
Both he and Keshawn were not ashamed to express their worry for their mother as well. Keshawn was honest. "It was hard on my mom," he said.
For their mother, the boys' concern became hers. "They still had their days in school when they were sad, and they were worried about me trying to get to work."
Kimberley Hyde, her husband and two children have been searching for work and a home for six months. She has already seen a change in one of her kids. "My daughter, she kind of withdrew," Hyde commented. However, she acknowledged the change came from a struggle over their roles. "They look to us as parents to protect them, to take care of them and provide for them. And when we can't, they don't understand."
For Williams and her family, that painful journey has come to an end. Last spring, they went from cots in a crowded shelter to their own beds in a new home. She rejoiced over her children's freedom. "I'm glad they can go into the backyard and don't have to worry about no one coming and bothering them. They're happy, and I'm happy," proclaimed Williams.
While more change was hard to swallow for Jordan, the move came with a welcome surprise. "I didn't think I was going to make friends at the new house. But as soon as we got there, one boy came knocking on the door," he grinned.
The Code Blue Shelter in Salisbury opens up January 1 for women and children. They are always in need of volunteers. To give of your time, call 410-742-9356.