by Hope House Colorado’s Housing Navigator, Megan Scheltinga
When I first learned about Hope House, I was 16 years old attending McLain High School’s JCAP program for teen moms. Growing up in and out of the system, my family life was not the most stable in my childhood. Hope House had something to offer, different from what I had ever known. The first time I went to Hope House to tour the residential house and learn more about the program, I was taken back by the welcoming and loving nature of the staff. It was abnormal to have such friendly and loving woman that cared about me, judgment free of me or my choice to become a teen mom at such a young age. It was a true relief to feel like me and my son were not a burden or too much to handle and it was apparent that these women had passion for teen moms and their kids. After graduating from McLain, I moved into the residential house with my two-year-old son, and we made Hope House our home. After living in the house for about a year, I moved out and went on my way, but Hope House was forever a crucial part of my life for many reasons. During my stay at the house I learned to parent independently, obtained my driver’s license, learned a solid face routine, how to dress for every occasion, how to grocery shop and cook for my family, developed fruitful and lifelong friendships, and attended college. Most importantly, I was given the opportunity to learn independence for the first time in my life and learn essential life skills that empowered my ability to transform my life circumstances. Hope House believed in me and empowered me to become the best version of myself. The most important part of my stay at the house was learning about God during nightly devotions, attending church for the first time, asking Jesus into my heart and beginning my journey walking in faith.
At 19, I welcomed my second son into the world and became a teen mom of two. Life was not perfect, by any means, but the support was always there from Hope House, judgment-free; even when I felt like I was not making the best life choices or messing up with my self-sufficiency, I was always welcomed back with open arms of love and checked on by staff that I made deep connections with when I would fall off. It always felt nice to be invited to events and know that my kids and me were being prayed for. As time went on, relationships with teen moms I lived with at the house and even community moms I met through Hope House classes and events continued to grow throughout my 20s into my 30s. One of the most special friendships I made was with a Hope House teen mom that was with me during my baptism and then later became my sister-in-law! That’s just it, Hope House is family. The relationships you develop are more than you could imagine. Developing friendships with other teen moms and watching our kids grow up together has been such a special experience. After aging out and becoming an alumna at 25, Hope House still meant so much to me so I got involved with volunteering at the gala, and Christmas shop every year. I always admired the mission and fierce advocacy the staff encompassed with pure, unwavering passion for empowering young woman to break generational cycles, transform their lives and make their dreams become reality. The passion of Hope House is contagious in that way. It is something you crave to be part of because there is tangible change, and the presence of God in this organization is evident every day.
Throughout my 20s, I worked as a dental assistant and would even have Hope House moms come and shadow me if they were interested in the dental industry. In 2018, I decided to go back to college to become a dental hygienist and started my college journey. Fast forward to 2020 and well… we all know what happened! COVID wrecked my plans, and I became unemployed. I fully believe that was the exact moment when God’s plans came into fruition, making it apparent to give me a new direction and heart for a different calling. With my associate’s of applied science degree under my belt, I was ready to start dental hygiene school until the global shutdowns and quarantine had other plans and my world came crashing down. I was laid off from my job, dental school was canceled, then I was left confused about what the future would hold, and unemployed, as many people were collectively at that time. I began working in the residential house during quarantine of 2020. The house was also being renovated at that time. I honestly did not have any expectations during that time other than feeling excited to be working for an organization that I loved; being happy to connect with teen moms and their babies in a new way; and having the opportunity to work during that time. My dreams of becoming a dental hygienist dwindled as the pandemic went on and ultimately changed my minor to continue with my education, a Bachelor of Science in social work. Working with the moms and the staff at Hope House became a special experience that I fell in love with and became passionate about. I couldn’t see myself leaving to work in any other industry!
Eventually, I switched roles two years in and became the first Hope House Colorado Housing Navigator as the role was developed. Now here we are almost four years later as a staff member and 16 years connected to this organization. Holding peer experience in all areas of housing from what I call “the good, the bad and the ugly” is the drive for me to do the work that I do. Experiencing housing systems in a personal way drives my motivation to help the moms navigate through all of the housing barriers like: growing up in housing instability, living in a residential house, the horrors of renting, bug infestations, experiencing being a single mom that was housing cost-burdened, being a section 8 holder and eventually homeownership. Advocating for the moms and working alongside them in a purposeful way on their housing journey fills my heart with passion as they stabilize in their housing then continue to progress on their self-sufficiency journeys. Hope House is such a special place to work. Being surrounded by mothers and babies every day brings joy to my soul. God is working wonders in this organization and every person that is connected to it, which is an honor to be a part of. These moms are incredible ‘super sheroes,’ and they continue to inspire me to do better and be better every day. Their strength is palpable, their resilience inspiring, their mommy motivation unwavering. The barriers and hardships they battle then rise above in their lives are powerful to witness. Overall, the work at Hope House is transformational and I am truly honored to call Hope House my former home and now my place of employment. It is easy to see this is more than just a place made of brick and mortar; this organization is so much more than that. The house is more than just a place to call home or a roof to provide shelter and warmth. It is a place for the soul, a community filled with relationship, empowering young women and all those connected to transform their lives and bump into the spirit of Jesus along the way.
