My name is Jennifer Barnes, and I have been working with Patricia at the Dream Center for over six months, closer to a year. When I first reached out to Patty, I had been referred by my therapist for the RISE class to relieve stress and burden by helping my understanding and skillset with my own finances. I had been homeless for years prior, grew up in poverty and money wasn’t talked about. Most of my life I relied on government assistance, others controlled the finances, or there just wasn’t any. I have, in the last 6 years; got clean, been saved, kept the same job, had restoration, maintained my own living environment, car payment, brought my credit up from 370 to 733, the list truly goes on and on. In all this going and growing I found myself in non-stop stress and anxiety because as these things were developing in my life, I had started to realize in heartbreak, that there is so much knowledge I was lacking. 

By the grace of God, a sweet soul in my church decided I was worth investing into and blessed me by covering EMDR therapy. In that beautifully hard process, conversation led me to the Dream Center, and I followed through with the suggestion. Praise God I did!!! Unfortunately, due to my work schedule, the Rise class wasn’t an option. That’s probably the most beautiful part, after speaking with Patricia and learning I couldn’t do Rise, this beautiful lady volunteered her time to help me succeed!!! It is an unbelievably hard process to overcome addiction, homelessness, topped with years of trauma and laid on a foundation of a lack of knowledge. It is an unbelievably hard thing to continue to strive forward and ask for help where it’s needed. I thank the good Lord that my process of continuing forward led me to the Dream Center and a relationship with Patty. Her kindness and generosity have been life changing for me. All I needed was someone to help me overcome my hate and fear of money. I needed someone to literally sit down with me and hold my hand, walk me through the process (over and over!) and TEACH ME how to look at and put every dollar somewhere! I cannot tell you how this has untwisted my anxiety. 

With that being said, after my time with Patty, I am now feeling confident enough about my ability as a hard-working single female that I am going to pursue homeownership by April of 2025. I can look at my time, finances and future with a whole new perspective and hope. I get to be a good role model for my children and grandchildren. I get to plan, save and give hope to others. The good Lord rescued me, but because people like the beautiful soul in my church, my therapist to suggest the Dream Center, for Patricia to say yes, I now can truly feel a little more confident to breath and believe that God does really have a purpose and plan for my life. Not for harm but good. I get to share that… what a miracle.