I am a 50 year old black female and I am experiencing some today that I didn’t even know exist.There are many homeless people in American, but I can only speak from something that I am going through on a daily basis.

It all began in November. 2009, when I lost my job.  This economy has really done a job on people’s lives, but I never though I would experience this on a personal basis.

I lived in one of the big county’s in Virginia.  I lived with my first cousin, her husband and their 2 children.  On the outside they are the american family, always doing something for the children, but I should have known something was wrong when they really didn’t seem to do anything together.

One night in May, 2009, we were all in the bed, my cousin, whom I will call Betty, (not her real name) when upstairs to get in the bed herself, except what she did was change all of our lives forever, especially mine.

She cut off the TV while her husband was watching, he got up and pushed her anad she pushed back.  After a while it turned into a complete fight.  I was scared for my own life because he said that he was going to kill her.

I got scared for my own life, call someone to pick me up and the next thing I know I was at a sight, signing in to go into a shelter for the night.

As of today, I am residing in a shelter called Caritas.  This is not a day and night shelter, but it is a program.  I will explain more in my next story.