Five years ago, Charmaine was living in the woods—alone, heartbroken, and battling addiction. After a painful divorce, she began selling off everything she owned just to survive. Eventually, there was nothing left. Each day was a fight to make it to the next.
That’s when she found The Sharing Center’s Oasis in Longwood, our drop-in center for those experiencing homelessness. At first, she came for the basics—a warm meal, a cup of coffee, a safe place to rest. But it quickly became something more.
“They knew my name. They celebrated me just for showing up,” she shared.
Every small win mattered—keeping a case management appointment or simply walking through the door. For the first time in a long time, she felt seen and supported.
Even in her lowest moments, Charmaine never stopped talking about her children.
“One day, I’m going to get clean. I’m going to get better, for them,” she would say. And little by little, she started to believe it.
She began working closely with her case manager and was connected to our in-house therapist, where she confronted the pain she'd buried for so long. That’s when the real healing began.
Today, Charmaine is six months sober.
“I have my own apartment now. It’s small, but it’s mine. I can finally breathe,” she says.
Her next goals? Dental treatment, enrolling in ProjectRISE, and reuniting with her children. Her story is still unfolding, but Charmaine has come so far. She reminds us all that with the right support—and a lot of heart—change is possible.
Right now, you can be part of that change.
The Sharing Center Oasis is located at 600 N. U.S. Hwy 17-92, Suite 114, Longwood.
