For Rosa, home means more than just having a roof over her family's heads. It's a place where her children can feel safe, dream about their futures, and simply be kids. But the journey to finding that stability was anything but easy.
After fleeing domestic violence, Rosa and her family sought refuge in a domestic violence shelter. When their time there ended, they found themselves living in their car, uncertain where they would go next.
That's when Rosa reached out to Mary's Place.
Every day, the Mary's Place Family Shelter Intake Line receives calls from 50 to 60 families experiencing homelessness across King County. Parents are reaching out because they don't know where their family will sleep that night or how they'll keep their children safe.
Some are fleeing domestic violence. Others are facing eviction, layoffs, unexpected medical expenses, or circumstances that have left them without a place to call home.
With shelters full, there’s typically only enough space for one or two of those families to come inside each day. But even when a shelter bed isn't immediately available, our team works to connect families with resources, support, and a path forward.
For Rosa, that connection would become a lifeline.
"I didn't really have a good support team until I ran into Mary's Place," Rosa shares. "They were like my angel."
Finding a Place to Call Home
With support from Mary's Place, Rosa learned about an apartment that was accepting new residents. Early last year, she and her children moved into their new home.
It was an important step forward for a family that had already experienced so much uncertainty. But just one month later, they faced another unimaginable crisis.
In February, a neighbor deliberately set fire to the front door of their apartment.
"It was really traumatizing," Rosa recalls. "We're on the fifth floor. Our only way out was the front door. And I thought our life was over."
As the sprinklers went off, Rosa held her children close, telling them how much she loved them. Firefighters arrived, extinguished the fire, and helped the family escape.
After working so hard to find housing, Rosa and her children were once again afraid of losing their safety.
And once again, they needed someone in their corner.
More Than Housing: A Foundation for Lasting Stability
At Mary's Place, we believe that no child should sleep outside. But we also know that helping a family find housing is only part of the journey.
For families rebuilding their lives after homelessness, unexpected emergencies, financial pressures, and the cost of establishing a household can threaten their hard-won stability.
That's why our work goes beyond providing shelter. Through our prevention and housing stability services, we help families address the challenges that could put their housing at risk, so they can build a more secure future.
For Rosa, that support made an enormous difference.
"What little we did own at the time was destroyed by the water from the sprinklers,” shares Rosa, “but once the damage from the fire was cleaned up, Mary’s Place Make-a-Home volunteers came and furnished our whole apartment for us," she shares. She also recalls receiving assistance with several months of rent. "It was a blessing."
The support helped Rosa create something her children had been missing: a space that truly felt like home.
Rosa's daughter, A'ziah, remembers the transformation.
"It just felt happier and like a home now," she shared.
It's a simple reflection, but one that captures the importance of stability for children. Having a place to call home means more than having four walls and a bed. It means having a space to feel comfortable, build memories, establish routines, and focus on growing up.
And for parents like Rosa, knowing that support remains available can make all the difference.
"Still today, I could reach out to the prevention team and feel like the door is not going to get slammed shut in my face," Rosa shares.
That ongoing connection is central to our approach at Mary's Place. We know that stability takes time, and families deserve support that recognizes their unique needs and circumstances.
Home Is Where Dreams Take Root
A'ziah dreams of working in nursing caring for older adults, or becoming a doctor.
Today, Rosa is focused on what every parent wants for their children: the opportunity to grow, succeed, and pursue their dreams.
And her children are already imagining what those futures might hold.
A'ziah dreams of working in nursing caring for older adults, or becoming a doctor.
Those dreams are a powerful reminder of why our work matters.
When children have a safe, stable place to call home, they have more opportunities to focus on learning, building friendships, discovering their interests, and imagining what's possible for their futures.
And this holiday season, Rosa and her children have something especially meaningful to look forward to. After years of making the best of the holidays amid uncertainty, they're preparing to celebrate their first holiday season in their new home, creating memories and traditions in a place they can finally call their own.
For Rosa's family, home is a place to feel safe again. A place to heal, to grow, and to look forward to what comes next.
Together, We Can Make Sure No Child Sleeps Outside
This year, our annual No Child Sleeps Outside campaign is asking our community a simple question: What does home mean to you?
For some, home is the warmth of a family meal or the comfort of a familiar bedtime routine. For others, it's a place to gather with the people they love, make memories, and feel a sense of belonging.
For Rosa’s family, those everyday comforts begin with feeling safe at home.
Rosa's story is one of extraordinary strength, determination, and love for her children. It's also a reminder that no family should have to navigate a housing crisis alone.
Every day, more families in our community are facing impossible choices about where they will sleep and how they will keep their children safe. And every day, our community has the opportunity to make a difference.
Through our three prongs of service: emergency shelter, mobile outreach, and homelessness prevention, Mary's Place works alongside families to help them find safety today and build lasting stability for tomorrow.
Because no child should have to sleep outside. And every child deserves a place to call home.
During our No Child Sleeps Outside campaign, you can help make that possible.