“Now I get to be their mom again.”
Lavida is a mother of seven who knows firsthand how quickly life can unravel. After struggling with addiction and living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Lavida found herself without stable housing, often traveling between Lynchburg and the D.C. area with nowhere to land. She had no birth certificate, no Social Security card, no ID, leaving her unable to apply for jobs, access services, or move forward.
As she describes it, without documents, “you are invisible.”
At N Street Village, Lavida found more than shelter. She received help accessing medication, rebuilding essential life skills, and recovering her identification documents, critical steps toward independence that once felt impossible.
Today, she is rebuilding her life. Her children visit her, and Lavida speaks with pride about being able to show up for them again.
“Now I get to be their mom again, and they get to just be my kids.”
Lavida is actively seeking employment and working toward securing her own home.