Claris, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, came here to build a better life for her children. Instead, she lost her son to the lifestyle of the streets. She put off her educational goals and neglected her health, working long hours on a factory floor. Then she had to leave her job for family reasons.
She was caught in the downward spiral of poverty, and it nearly destroyed her when she attempted suicide. Thankfully, she survived. She went directly from the hospital to ECS St. Barnabas Mission for homeless women and their children, a move she says saved her life. Now she is training to become a medical assistant while maintaining a safe home for her family.