FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — After years of moving between shelters and other placements, sisters Xandria and Annika Thatcher are settling into a place of their own with help from Poverello House.<\/p>\n
The sisters received the keys to their new home three weeks ago, marking a new chapter after a decade of housing instability.<\/p>\n
“This is the first time ive ever had my own full on comforter set and its so beautiful and theres like lavender on it and stuff,” Annika said.<\/p>\n
For the past 10 years, Xandria and Annika frequently moved from one placement to another with their mother and sister. They eventually arrived at Naomi’s House, Poverello House’s women’s shelter, where they said they found a sense of security.<\/p>\n
“It was basically just from one shelter to another until this place helped us find our place,” Xandria said.<\/p>\n
Annika said there were moments when the family’s circumstances became difficult to endure.<\/p>\n
“I know there were some times when we were staying in the shelter. I just wanted to give up,” she said.<\/p>\n
Many family shelters are unable to accommodate parents with adult children, and the sisters had to leave their previous shelter when they turned 18. Their mother’s hearing loss added another layer of complexity for the family.<\/p>\n
The sisters said they were skeptical when they first arrived at Naomi’s House but found empathy from Poverello House staff.<\/p>\n
“I know this place really surprised me. I wasn’t really expecting, you know, expecting it to help me or help us get a place like that,” Xandria said.<\/p>\n
Poverello House provides emergency shelter, temporary housing and support services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Naomi’s House is a long-standing transitional shelter that provides safe housing and specialized support for women facing homelessness, helping create a pathway to housing.<\/p>\n
“This place helps you get what you need and prepare you for what you need when you move into your place and everything like that,” Xandria said.<\/p>\n
Now, the sisters are going through the process of settling into their home, including putting together furniture.<\/p>\n
“We’ve had the box spring that goes under your bed and the mattress but weve never actually had the whole bed piece and I’m just really happy and its like it makes me very hopeful for our future,” Annika said.<\/p>\n
The sisters also participated in career readiness classes through the nonprofit and said the experience has opened new possibilities for their futures.<\/p>\n
“I’m gonna start going back to school because all of that moving and stuff, I hadn’t been able to finish school,” Xandria said.<\/p>\n
Their experience navigating homelessness with their mother also inspired both sisters to work toward becoming credentialed American Sign Language interpreters.<\/p>\n
“I feel like it changed my outlook really on a lot of things, especially about the Pov and life in general,” Annika said.<\/p>\n
The Call for Hope telethon is happening Thursday, with coverage beginning on AM Live at 4:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
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