Sue’s Story
Raised in a family of nine in Saint John, Susan’s early life was marked by trauma and dysfunction. Despite these challenges, she persevered — earning a Human Services diploma and building a life for herself.
At age 28, a struggle with addiction began, escalating into a period of homelessness and a move to Fredericton where she cycled between a women’s shelter and living in a tent. Until a terrifying incident that convinced her to accept an offer for a home at a United Way donor-funded housing program.
Even with a home, Sue continued to grapple with addiction and mental health issues that left her feeling isolated and scared. She sought help once more. This time at an outside rehab facility where she learned a crucial lesson echoing a guiding phrase from a favourite journal: You’re going to have to taste this bitter before you can appreciate the sweet - a lesson that she took to heart, realizing that her struggles were part of the healing process.
Sue returned to United Way-supported housing with the support of their community contingency program, which played a vital role in her recovery. Her dedication and commitment to the program led to a role in their property maintenance department.
Sue would go through their entrepreneur program, which helped her rediscover her passion for woodworking. Eventually using the resources and support to create and sell her unique pieces onsite.
The reward of being nine months clean isn’t a physical thing—it’s getting to live in a nice, quiet, safe neighborhood, the opportunity to have a job, and be around good-minded people. The programs here are awesome; these people are taking a chance on us. Even though we have all been broken, we are becoming stronger together as individuals and as a community.
Thanks to the generosity of United Way donors, more people like Sue can access the tools and support they need to transform their lives.
