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Date: 4/27/2023
HAMPDEN — On April 16, Christina’s House, an educational/transitional home for women and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness celebrated the grand opening of their newest home, Freedom House on 210 Allen St.
Two families have moved in. Right now, executive director Carolyn Martinez, a single mother of three who graduated from Christina’s House in 2021, said this is a pilot program for a year. They’re hoping it shows some success and it becomes a next step permanent program for Christina’s House.
“Freedom House gives us the ability to increase while we transition mothers and their children from Christina’s House,” Martinez said. “It gives us the ability to open up more rooms for other mothers and children that need our support. We’re expanding and bringing Christina’s House work to another town.”
Shannon Carey, chair of the Board of Directors for Christina’s House added, “We are so blessed to be able to provide another home for women and their children. The first two homes are our foundational program where we’re educating women on rebuilding their finances, faith, life skills and restoring their credit. She continued, “As they save for their own homes, Freedom House enables them to have the next level of independence and to continue to grow and afford to find their dream home.”
Christina’s House is a faith-based organization. It was established in 2012 by founder and President Linda Mumblo, whose vision was to open an organization to support women and children in the Springfield area. She noticed that there were a lot of services in the community for men, but not many for women that have children. Christina’s House opened its doors in 2014 with their first home at 38 Madison Ave. in Springfield. Since then, Christina’s House has been open for 10-plus years and purchased a second location in 2020 on Union Street.
Each of their homes are large enough to accommodate four to six program families. The women and children who reside in these homes stay for 18-24 months. Their approach is treating each person with dignity and respect and working with them to help them meet their individual goals. Mothers are responsible for participating in their educational program, gaining employment, and helping to maintain their home while working with teachers, mentors, and volunteers who support them on their journey at Christina’s House. “We feel the program is really good, but there wasn’t a transitional process from the program to self-efficiency,” Martinez stated. Freedom House is their next step program which gives mothers and their children a little extra time to be able to have that transition phase from having volunteers and all of the support to that lessen over time so they can feel more comfortable to be on their own after graduation.
Natalia Serrano and her daughter Raquel are one of the two families in the Freedom House program. They have been at Christina’s House for a year and four months. Serrano’s goals are to become a property and business owner.
“I was looking to buy houses, and through a woman’s event at my church at the time I heard Carolyn’s testimony about Christina’s House,” Serrano said. “I walked by faith and reached out to Christina’s House since then God has not stopped opening doors.”
Martinez added. “Christina’s House saved my life and it’s a privilege to be a part of this transformative work. I can run the program and support the same work that they did for me. Now, I can give back and help women and their children.”
To learn more, visit christinashouse.org or call 413-271-2105.