Renewal Story: Ashley

Ashley remembers getting up early on Christmas morning and making her way down the hall to the living room. A sheet was draped across the entrance, blocking her way. She could barely contain her excitement, but she knew she had to wait for her parents to pull the sheet aside so she could see all the presents Santa had left for her.

Today, Ashley looks forward to sharing that tradition with her son, Preston, when he gets older. He is just 18 months old now, and this will be his first Christmas with his mom.

“I am a recovering addict,” Ashley tells us. “I used drugs during my pregnancy, so my son was taken away from me when he was five days old.” The court recommended Ashley stay at Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County to continue her recovery and prepare to be a mother to Preston. She was a little nervous about staying at a shelter but soon found UGM-TC was much more than that.

Here, thanks to you, Ashley found herself in a safe environment that supported her sobriety, helped her learn to be a responsible mother and brought her closer to God. “There are a lot of resources here, a lot of help,” Ashley says. “I really liked the classes and Alpha, too.”

Because Ashley has made so much progress, Preston left foster care and joined his mother at the Mission this summer. He is thriving, and Ashley couldn’t be happier! Being reunited with her son has given Ashley even more motivation to finish the program and strike out on her own. “My biggest goal is to have our own place. I want Preston to have his own backyard to play in someday. So right now, I’m looking for a job and working on bettering myself and my sobriety.” 

In the meantime, Ashley is still excited about Christmas, but her focus has changed. She no longer needs a pile of presents from Santa. You helped her get the best gift yet: Preston. “I couldn’t have done this without UGM-TC,” she says. “I couldn’t have gotten my son back. I’m forever grateful for that!”

And we are forever grateful for your support. May God bless you and your family this Christmas.