Quentin’s new apartment is a welcoming space for his blended family.
Living in and out of hotels, Quentin struggled to provide stability for his four children. But he was determined to achieve two goals: find safe and stable housing and get custody of his kids.
Quentin put every dollar he earned toward keeping a roof over his head, making it almost impossible to move forward. Then he made what would prove to be a fateful decision. He reached out to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford and found transformative support through their Fatherhood Program, which help fathers gain awareness of the important role they play in their children’s overall social, emotional, mental, physical, and developmental well-being.
While also receiving basic needs assistance, Quentin joined their weekly fatherhood classes and began to put together a plan for his future. Surrounded by people with a deep understanding of the challenges he was facing as a man and a father, he finally found the support he needed.
Quentin also took advantage of the agency’s workforce development opportunities and completed a training program to attain his OSHA 10 certification in basic construction. Once certified, he landed a good-paying, stable job.
With the help of a housing case manager at the Hartford Healthcare Institute of Living, he secured a permanent apartment. But when he received the keys and unlocked the door for the first time, Quentin was in for a shock: the space was completely empty.
No beds, no furniture, no nothing.
Quentin knew it would not be possible on his salary to furnish an apartment, but he also knew that having a stable, fully functioning home was critical to regaining custody of his children. He’d come so far but found himself stuck yet again.
That’s when Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford really came through in the clutch. They reached out to several partner social service agencies that provided beds for Quentin’s children and the essential furnishings he needed to transform an empty apartment into a home.
That stability became the foundation Quentin needed to thrive. Today, he has a great career and is developing his skills with online training courses as well as doing some mental health training. He continues to work to regain custody of his children and is getting more involved in his community, actively paying it forward by volunteering with the Fatherhood Program and another similar group to support other dads.
It promises to be a great Father’s Day for him this year!
Submitted by Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford.