By Sabrina Manganella Simmons
Coastal Parent

photo by Sabrina Manganella Simmons
Sheryl Ray and her daughter sit on the stoop of Hope House with residents and their children. (From left) Wyhavius Davis and his mother Tangie Davis, Ariel Ray and her mother, Hope House Executive Director Sheryl Ray, Dante McCorvey and his mother, Shannon McCorvey.

"I don't come to work to just do a job. This is the most rewarding thing I've ever done. If you change just one life..." Sheryl Ray says and pauses, a look of contentment falling over her face. Ray is the executive director of Hope House, a home that homeless single mothers come to in order to rebuild their lives for themselves and their children.

Ray says the biggest thing she has learned since becoming executive director a year ago is that love and compassion are the keys to making a difference in people's lives. "Love. They really need it. They need that support as well as firmness. They need to know that there is no other option except to move forward," says Ray.

Imagine having a new baby, living on the street, and not knowing how you would ever hold things together. You've conquered drug addiction, left a soul-stealing life of prostitution, and are now unsure of how to make a life for yourself and your daughter. You are broke but not broken. You still have courage. You still have hope.

Joanne (all names of Hope House residents have been changed) was that girl, living on the streets, with her two month old baby, when somebody told her about Hope House. How her life has turned around this past year.

Hope House and Peller House each house seven formerly homeless young women, each with one child. The program helps young women pursue their dreams step by step, until fuzzy, unsure and scary dreams become realities.

At Hope House, women do chores, mother their children and, during the day, they are at school, working or looking for work. When they graduate from Hope House, they move into a transitional living home, Peller House, which has four apartments, each a two-bedroom two-bath suite that two women and two children share. It is a less structured environment, and is the springboard towards independence.

Joanne now holds an associate degree in applied technology from Savannah Tech, and her last GPA was 3.5. She is currently looking with a real estate agent to buy a home in Atlanta, where she will continue her studies, pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science.

"She was ready to change her life," says Ray. "She was really good at computers, and that was her dream."

"We help women find their dreams, and help them set realistic goals to pursuing those dreams," says Ray. For example, one women wanted to start a home day care, and the staff at Hope House brought in a home daycare provider to explain to the woman exactly what she needed to do to pursue her goal.

Ray says that the biggest challenge for Joanne, and most of the Hope House clients, is conquering fear.

"They don't believe in themselves. They are fearful to try things. Sometimes when we push them to do things, they run away [emotionally]. It's hard for them to stick to a goal. But we take baby steps to meet those goals," says Ray. Sometimes, just going the next step, when you have already faced great loss, is very frightening. The fear of failing is high, and can be debilitating. Most clients receive counseling to help them deal with some of the underlying problems.

Mentors can make a huge difference in the lives of these young mothers. One young woman, Jessica, who Ray described as an excellent mother, had the goal of passing the Georgia High School Graduation Test. She took it again and again, and each time failed. Her self-esteem had taken a beating, and it was hard to keep going.

A family volunteered to mentor her, and the husband tutored her social studies and the wife tutored her in science. She is scheduled to take the test soon, and has renewed confidence. "Oh, they made a difference I can tell you!," says Ray enthusiastically about Jessica's mentors.

Even though she has not yet passed her high school graduation test, Jessica is enrolled at Savannah Tech. She has also recently purchased a car, meeting two more of her goals.

At Hope House, women receive the support and guidance that many children receive at home with their parents.

Some people just need a safe place to find themselves. And when mothers find themselves, their children have safety and security. "When I look at the children, and see their lives improve, it makes me feel good," says Ray.

Breaking the cycle of poverty means that Joanne's daughter will grow up with a courageous college educated mother who owns her own home. She will learn that no struggle is too hard, and she will see in her mother's eyes, that she too can face down any challenge.




learning how to make a difference at any age: Sheryl's daughter pitches in at hope house

"I hear it in her voice. She understands what I'm doing here and wants to help," says Sheryl Ray about her 7-year old daughter, Ariel.

Ray is the executive director of Hope House, a home that provides support and housing to homeless mothers who are getting their lives back.

Ariel spends a lot of time at the house, because she loves the children at the home. "She loves to read to them. She loves being the big girl," says Ray. All on her own, Ariel recruited her first grade teacher to provide a Mother's Day Dinner to the Hope House residents.

If Ariel notices that a child looks hungry, she will ask her mother to fix the child some food.

Ariel's involvement at Hope House has taught her about the suffering some children, children she has become close to, must face. When one of the mothers at Hope House lost custody of her daughter, Ariel had to face the pain inherent in the situation. "Is there anything I can do? Mama, can you adopt her? What will happen to her mother?," Ray remembers her asking. The mother and child are OK, but the process was a learning experience for Ariel.

"She's maturing a lot. I'm really proud of her," says Ray.

Watching her mother in a leadership position at Hope House is teaching Ariel that every person, big and small, has the capacity to make a difference in this world.


Behind every great woman....

How does Sheryl balance work and home life? "I have a very supportive husband who is there when I need him. We're a team. He has a very demanding job as well. He's my support system."


Want to be a mom or dad who makes a difference?

Hope House needs volunteers to work as "baby huggers." Baby huggers baby-sit babies from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. so moms can look for work.

Hope House also needs single moms or married couples to serve as mentors to young women. Mentors help the women achieve their goals and provide emotional support to the women.

Do you like to write? Ray says she needs help grant-writing.

To help, call Hope House, (912) 443-3000.