The Nia Imani Family Center is a place where destitute others and their children discover a future.
"I was in a really dark place," said Shataqua Poindexter.
She is grateful she found a home for her and her 3 kids.
Without Nia Imani Family Inc., she may have never gotten her life together.
"I probably would still be doing drugs just whatever just to get by," she said
At Nia Imani homeless mothers and their children can live for 2 years.
They get their own furnished apartment and learn life schools. They also discover they are not alone. It's a safe haven for single moms who have o place to go.
Founder Belinda Pittman-Mcgee has been helping families in need for 23 years.
"I don't create a group that I think they need, I don't create a curriculum that I think they need I create a group atmosphere that they tell me they need," she said.
At Nia Imani moms get some of the nurturing they never got as kids.
"The values and the morals they have are usually the values and morals of the street," said Pittman-McGee.
Poindexter admits she basically raised herself as a child.
"Not having my mom around dad never been around incarcerated my whole life, moving from house to house, brother incarcerated when he was 13."
She never learned the importance of school, good credit or what it takes to be a good mom. Poindexter admits, "I thought I keep them clean I keep them fed I keep them I thought I was doing a great job of being a mom but coming here I learned oh you've got to read with them you got to interact with them. I'm like I didn't know that."
Now Poindexter plans her future and hopes to go back to school.
65-year-old Pittman McGee has helped more than 3 thousand homeless women. She was homeless after leaving an abusive marriage. She now finds joy in watching families flourish.
"This is why I do what I do. This is why I get up every day and get the courage to continue and to help the fight the battles and be there for their mothers and let them know you can do it!"
Pittman-McGee adds,"That's the biggest thing they get here is to believe in themselves band to understand that they have the courage because they're in the school of life.
