“I Didn’t Feel Like Just Another Number” - A Story of Healing, Structure, and Love at Grandma’s House of Hope

When Nikol arrived at Grandma’s House of Hope, she was carrying more than just a bag of belongings.  She was coming out of repeated hospital stays, emotional crises, and a long period of homelessness.  Life felt uncertain and overwhelming, and stability felt far away.

What she found at Grandma’s House of Hope was something she hadn’t felt in a long time: genuine care.

“They were always checking on me,” Nikol says. “They wanted to know how I was doing. I didn’t feel like just another number in a shelter.”

From the start, staff met Nikol with compassion and consistency.  Staff didn’t just track her progress—they took time to connect with her as a person.  They checked in, listened, and reminded her that she mattered.  One staff member, Dan, left a particularly deep impression.  He made it a point to see her every day, to pause what he was doing just to ask how she was, and to tell her how proud he was of her.

“That meant more than I can explain,” Nikol shares. “It helped me come out of a really dark place.”

Healing at Grandma’s House of Hope wasn’t rushed.  Instead, it happened gradually, through steady support and structure.  After years without routine, the program’s daily rhythms—meetings, chores, medication support, and accountability—helped Nikol rebuild confidence and a sense of purpose.

“I actually liked the structure,” she says. “It made me feel proud. It helped me remember how to take care of myself.”

Just as powerful was the sense of community inside the home.  Nikol was surprised by how much having roommates helped her.  Instead of judgment, she found understanding, encouragement, and shared experience.  Through those relationships, she was introduced to NA meetings and discovered a space where she felt safe enough to grow.

Despite severe anxiety and shyness, Nikol began speaking up—first in meetings, then on panels. “I never thought I could do that,” she says. “But being here helped me find my voice.”

Nikol has graduated from Grandma's House of Hope's Rescued & Restored Housing Program and is now in the AfterCare Program. She lives independently, manages her health, keeps her medical appointments, and continues her recovery one day at a time.  Looking back, she believes that without Grandma’s House of Hope, she might still be caught in a cycle of institutions and uncertainty.

What stays with her most are the small, loving details—the comfortable beds, clean towels, thoughtful decorations, and the care taken to make the house feel like a home.

“It didn’t feel like a shelter,” Nikol says. “It felt like home.”

When asked what she wants people to know about Grandma’s House of Hope, her answer is simple and heartfelt: “They really care. It’s worth it.”

And without hesitation, she adds, “I love Grandma’s House of Hope.”

It’s easy to understand why.