This month we spoke with Christie, who has not only worked with Thrive to access resources, but she has also helped us as a volunteer. Christie has lived in Central Oregon on and off since 2019 and currently lives in Madras with her three children. In her free time, she loves to journal, draw, and spend time with her children. She most recently opened a cleaning business called Positive Attractions!
Christie is the definition of resilience. She was raised in the foster care system since she was 5 years old and spent most of her life doing everything she could to survive. She learned very quickly how important it is to get connected to resources and take advantage of opportunities when they arise which is what led her to Thrive. When she moved back to Central Oregon in July of 2022 she got connected to Bestcare and NeighborImpact, who told her to reach out to Thrive for help with housing. Christie describes moving back to Central Oregon in 2022 with her ex-husband and three children as a giant leap of faith. They knew they wanted to move back but were unsure how things would pan out when they did. They were able to stay with a friend for a while until they secured a place of their own. After a little while they were able to find one place but wanted a second one so they could each have their own space - which is why Christie decided to reach out to Thrive.
When asked what her experience working with Thrive was like, Christie said: “I loved working with Thrive. I mainly worked with Oz, Leah and Arriana.” Arriana was the main advocate who helped Christie find a place of her own, get furniture, and assist with the deposit. She was impressed with how quickly Arriana was able to help her get everything done. Christie is so grateful for Thrive and everything they were able to help her with. To show her gratitude she asked if there were any volunteer opportunities through Thrive. Since our Spring for Thrive fundraiser took place in April, Christie helped put up posters to advertise the event in Madras and also came to the event to help out. Christie also offered to help people move when needed. Christie has been a huge help to Thrive during this busy time and we are so incredibly grateful for her time and support. Christie loved volunteering with Thrive because helping others was also a way for her to help herself and she is very grateful for the opportunity.
Christie said that her experience working with Thrive gave her hope that everything would work out, and that taking the big leap of faith to move back to Central Oregon with her family was the right thing to do. Now that she is secured in her own place she is able to start doing things for herself. She will start school at COCC in the summer to become a paralegal and peer support specialist. Her kids are also doing well because they are able to spend time with both Christie and their father and are focusing on their schooling.
Some advice Christie has for other people who might be in a similar situation to her is to not be scared to ask for help. She wants everyone to know that it is okay to reach out for help and that everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. She believes that everything happens for a reason and you might not know the reason now but eventually, you will.
Thank you Christie for being vulnerable and sharing your story with us as well as volunteering your time. We are so incredibly grateful for you!