Nene

Nene is no stranger to adversity. After enduring 17 years trapped in an abusive relationship, the Chicago native made the brave decision in 2023 to leave it all behind. With just the clothes on her back and one pair of shoes, Nene escaped to Georgia, spending nights in her car as she had no home to go to.

“I chose to know my worth instead of staying in my comfort zone,” Nene shares. She relied on local organizations for support but struggled with the fees many shelters required on top of already struggling to afford food, gas, and basic necessities. “Food stamps don’t give emergency food like other states. It takes a long application process with a waiting period for everything.”

Leaving behind extended stay hotels

After some extended stays in hotels, which Nene didn’t feel was a safe long-term solution, she discovered PadSplit online. “It was a very easy process to get approved. I signed up, and the customer service walked me through everything. It was a click away, and I moved in the next week.”

“I’m now happy!”

Nene cannot overstate how transformational moving into her PadSplit home was. “I’m now happy! I’m going back to school, getting my mentorship program off the ground, I found a church, and I’m an eagle taking flight!” 

She recalls how it took two full months after moving in before she could break the habit of sleeping in the fetal position, so accustomed she had become to sleeping in the driver’s seat.

Beyond basic shelter and security, PadSplit provided Nene with a true community. She shares the home with a single dad, another abuse survivor, a single mother, and a young restaurant worker – everyone coming from a different background and seeking their own fresh start.

“The best part is the security – cameras, rules, double locks on our bedroom doors. I feel so safe knowing I see the same people every day.”

Nene’s journey was not easy. She had to figure out how to use the restroom in the middle of the night while living in her car and struggled to feel safe. But she remained resilient, even volunteering her time to give back to others while unliving that struggle herself. Now, she is working towards her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration while saving to one day move into her own apartment.

PadSplit: Move in, move up, move ahead.

“PadSplit is a place to move in, move up, and move ahead,” Nene beams. 

Thanks to the affordable housing, security, and community she found at PadSplit, Nene is finally able to focus on building the life she deserves after years of being caught in an abusive cycle. She has even started her own mentorship program, hoping to pay forward the support she received.

I recommend PadSplit to anyone who needs to feel safe and have a fresh start,” Nene shares. 

For her and the housemates surrounding her, PadSplit is providing just that – a secure place to call home during a transitional chapter, surrounded by a community of others on their own journeys toward brighter futures.