After experiencing homelessness while struggling with substance use disorder, Parthenia McAuley moved into Deaverview Apartments in 2018. Public housing gave her a stable place to live, but just as she was beginning to regain her footing, tragedy struck. Her 40-year-old son, Robert, died unexpectedly after suffering a stroke.

The loss forced McAuley to confront the direction her life was headed.

“I knew that if I wanted to see him again,” she says, “I had to get myself right.”

Rather than withdrawing into her grief, McAuley leaned on her faith and found strength through her church community. She also joined Deaverview’s Resident Council, helping organize events and create opportunities for residents to connect with one another.

“I started involving myself in positive things,” she says.

Building a New Future

As McAuley continued rebuilding her life, she enrolled in HACA’s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program, a voluntary initiative designed to help families achieve long-term financial independence.

Working alongside her FSS coordinator, McAuley set goals that would move her forward, including maintaining steady employment, improving her credit, and ultimately becoming a homeowner.

She pursued those goals through her work at Goodwill, where she started tagging donated clothing before advancing to a cashier position and eventually becoming a shift manager.

As her income increased, so did her savings. Through the FSS Program, a portion of the rent increase resulting from her higher earnings was deposited into an escrow savings account in her name. Over time, those funds grew into a financial cushion that helped make homeownership possible.

Hope for What’s Next

In April 2026, McAuley purchased her first home in Boiling Springs, South Carolina, a place with a big backyard where she and her husband, Lorenzo, are now settling into a new chapter together. These days, they enjoy visits from their six grandchildren and spending time with their pit bull, Rocko.

For McAuley, homeownership represents far more than owning a house. It reflects years of hard work, perseverance, and the decision to build a different future. Today, she hopes her journey reminds others that change begins with taking the first step.

“I love to tell my story because it might help somebody else,” she says. “Anything is possible. You’ve just got to do the work.”