MENOMINEE, Mich. (NBC 26) — A single mom in Menominee, Michigan is reflecting on the hardship she and her baby recently went through.
Within a short time, the family went from being homeless to having a place of her own.
"I had an altercation with her dad. It's been chaos. I pretty much found myself in a situation where I had to go to the shelter,” said Pamela Roberson.
Looking for a place of safety, Roberson and her baby traveled from Green Bay to Menominee, Michigan to move into the Abundant Life Mission, a homeless shelter.
“I came with nothing,” Roberson said. "The first night was like, look we have a place to sleep, you're safe, you're happy and going. It was relieving versus being out in the streets in the cold."
Abundant Life Mission is the only shelter in the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan that takes in full families, so they get people from several hours up north to those coming from the Green Bay area.
"We currently have 60 individuals. About 25 of them are children,” said Teresa Boscarino, Abundant Life Shelter Director. "This is one of our typical family rooms. You would get a large bed and then a bunk bed for as many kiddos that you have.”
For those in situations like Roberson, the shelter becomes a lifesaver.
There she was quickly connected to resources and within weeks Roberson was able to get a job and have a place of her own.
"What I do now is I'm a baker. I work at Perkins and her daycare is right down the street. It didn't take me that long to get a job. There are a lot of places hiring around here, too,” Roberson said.
As she reflects on how far she's come, she said looking ahead she just wants what's best for her child and is grateful for all the support she has received.
"If it wasn't for there, I have no clue what I would've done because then you have a baby. Well, I really can't sleep outside and we need to figure it out,” Roberson said.
If you or anyone you know is in need of shelter, click here to learn more about the Abundant Life Mission.
The homeless shelter also has a thrift shop next door where community members can purchase items that will 100% go to the homeless shelter. That store is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.
