For Melanie, Bethlehem Inn was a bridge. Melanie knows about bridges. For a time, she lived under one in California.

“I was lost, lonely, afraid, without my boys, without hope.”

Drug charges landed her in prison for a year. Prison and that bridge drove her to her knees. She prayed. She resolved to get clean and sober…and did, nearly five years ago.  She came to Bend to escape an abusive relationship and stay with a relative. She brought her youngest sons, eleven and sixteen, with her. She had a job lined up. It fell through. She lined up a place to live. It didn’t work out.  Melanie and the boys were facing sleeping in their car. She called Bethlehem Inn. No family units available that day. But a few days later one opened up.  Melanie says,

“It was a miracle. We had our own space. We were safe and warm.”

Melanie wasted no time finding a job, two jobs in fact. And on her days off she’s taken a third job cleaning homes and offices. Inn staff helped connect the boys to schools. Next up: a place to live. It was a team effort: Inn staff connecting Melanie with resources. Melanie doing the footwork, a lot  of footwork. But it all paid off. Melanie and the boys are in their own apartment. That bridge Melanie lived under is way back in the rear view mirror. She and her boys were shown a new bridge by Bethlehem Inn: a bridge to a promising future.