Yvonne moved to New Orleans from New Jersey in 2001 to escape domestic violence. Through some hard years and then Hurricane Katrina, she ended up on the streets, homeless. In 2015 she dis-covered Baptist Friendship House and in July 2020 celebrated five years of sobriety. Yvonne shares, “I accepted Jesus as my Savior in August 2015, and through His help and Christian Women’s Job Corps® at Friendship House, I have regained the many things the streets took from me. I realize what a good friend God is in my life, and He is the most important thing. I have gained my self-respect back, I have a home, I got my GED, I got my driver’s license back, I have gained skills to help me obtain employment, and I have become self-sufficient. Living on the streets and drinking can often lead one to focus on self. After becoming sober I have learned how to focus on helping others. I love volunteering at Friendship House and being able to give back to help others. I am grateful and continue to seek opportunities to grow and to better myself.”
Yvonne received the Faye Dove Scholarship from the WMU Foundation in 2018 and used her scholarship to enroll in culinary arts courses at the local community college. She has also taken a pottery class and used the skills she learned to help lead the group that is making pottery for WorldCrafts. She is an incredible light to the women in her community.