Four Roommates’ Success Story

When Michelle Poulson graduated from the New Life Program she knew she needed continued connection to other Christian women who had been through similar experiences.

As part of the education she received on the New Life Program, Michelle learned she not only had to leave her old life behind, but also that strong and healthy relationships would be critical to her long-term success. The problem was, there didn’t seem to be an aftercare group that fit her desire to stay in faith-based recovery with like-minded women.

So when she graduated in 2019, Michelle took the initiative and started a group herself. She began inviting other women who graduated from the New Life Program to join. Today the group has 14 members and out of that group, Michelle and three other women developed a close bond.

They have all experienced God’s life-changing work at the Mission. Michelle, for her part, has been healed of several debilitating health issues, including epilepsy. She serves in her church’s children’s ministry and works in a program for autistic children.

As the aftercare group grew, the four women came to a housing crossroads at the same time. Two—Kayra Darling and Nichole Reigard—had been living at Hope House (the Rescue Mission’s transitional housing unit for women). Both had been sober for several years and are doing well in their church, employment, and family relationships.

Nichole has a good job with an HVAC company and Kayra has a successful career as a hair stylist. They all talked about the need for a good, sober roommates to share a house or apartment with, given Utah’s high housing prices.

Then Teressa Wood, who has served as House Manager at the Rescue Mission’s Women’s Center for several years, received a promotion. She would now be a case manager working individually with clients who come to the Rescue Mission from the streets and enter the New Life Program.

But being a case manager meant she could no longer live in the House Manager apartment at the Women’s Center. Still her new job would help her gain experience as she worked on her degree in nonprofit management.

“It was a big life change for me, on the heels of full-time school, I was a little bit panicked, “Teressa said. “Now among all these changes I was going to have to look for a place to live.”

So, this group of four who had built solid relationships through the Rescue Mission and the aftercare group Michelle started back in 2019 all needed a new placed to live at the same time. It seemed like God had arranged it that way. They decided to look for a house to share and landed on one in South Jordan that was in a nice neighborhood and in their price range.

“It was actually the first house we looked at,” Teressa said.

They met the neighbors who all seemed welcoming. Then they met the owners, who were moving out of country but wanted to keep their house. The owners felt great about renting to the four women who had overcome so much.

“It’s amazing that God led the four of us to make a decision to get a place together,” Michelle said. “They are such amazing and beautiful women today and I knew them when they weren’t.”

Added Kayra: “These are three of my favorite people on the face of the planet. The Rescue Mission has not only changed my life but given me the opportunity to develop relationships with these women who are strong and powerful.”

The women agree the ability to see each other receive promotions, develop new skills, and continue to restore relationships with family members encourages them to keep moving forward with God’s enabling help. They all shared their deep appreciation to Mission’s supporters who have helped enable the incredible changes in their lives and the wonderful possibilities still ahead.