Shannon and her young son

Shannon and her 4 year old son came to the shelter for Domestic Violence with just the clothes on their backs and a few supplies.

After years of suffering physical, emotional, and economic abuse at the hands of her live-in boyfriend, Shannon found she could no longer stay in her situation and protect her son.  

Shannon's son, Dustin had become unruly, demanding, whiny, and displayed many ill effects of domestic violence.  

Upon arriving at the shelter, Shannon found caring staff and heard about the mentoring program through Children’s Foundation of Mid-America.  Shannon agreed to receive a mentor who began to help her with parenting skills and structuring a more consistent routine for her son.  

The mentor followed her as well when she left the shelter to begin her life anew in her own housing.  After a few weeks of receiving one on one attention and guidance from the mentor, Shannon began reporting greater comfort and confidence in her ability to protect her son and to raise him to be a positive and non-violent person himself.  The mentor began to see greater joy in Shannon's interactions with her son and a happier little boy.  Shannon and Dustin continue to have contact with the mentor even though their formal mentoring time has ended.