From Homelessness to Leadership: Dominique Burns' Journey with Safe Haven Family Shelter

Dominique Burns, a 34-year-old single mother of two, has experienced a remarkable transformation over the past seven years. In 2017, Burns moved from Michigan to Nashville, Tennessee, with only $700 to her name and no job prospects, following what she believed was a message from God. She and her two young children, ages 9 months and 10 years old at the time, initially stayed at the Nashville Rescue Mission but struggled with the shelter's strict rules.

Why this matters: Dominique Burns' story highlights the importance of organizations like Safe Haven Family Shelter in providing vital support to families in crisis, helping them regain stability and build better lives. It also emphasizes the value of lived experience in informing and shaping social services, demonstrating that those who have overcome adversity can make a significant impact in their communities. Dominique Burns' story highlights the importance of organizations like Safe Haven Family Shelter in providing vital support to families in crisis, helping them regain stability and build better lives. It also emphasizes the value of lived experience in informing and shaping social services, demonstrating that those who have overcome adversity can make a significant impact in their communities.

"God kept saying Nashville, and I kept seeing Nashville, so I told my parents, 'I'm going to Nashville,'" Burns recalls. Life at the Nashville Rescue Mission proves challenging. "I've never been to jail, but if I had to experience it, I bet that's how it felt," she describes.

Two months later, Burns and her children are accepted into Safe Haven Family Shelter, a nonprofit organization that provides temporary housing and resources for families in crisis. The contrast is striking. "It was like heaven sent. We walked in and saw a kitchen, and it's clean and people are eating in it and people have smiles on their faces,"Burns says of her first impression of Safe Haven.

Within eight weeks, Safe Haven staff help Burns secure an apartment in East Nashville. She soon finds a job and enrolls her son in school. Burns' determination and the support she receives at Safe Haven set her on a path to stability and success.

Burns' experience with Safe Haven does not end there. Within a year, she joins the shelter's young professionals advisory council, and later, she becomes a board member. Burns brings her lived experience to the organization, offering valuable insights and perspectives. "I said, 'All I have is my voice.' And they said, 'That's exactly what we want. Lived experience, you can bring that,'"Burns recounts her conversation with a Safe Haven administrator about joining the board.

Lisa Estrada, a fellow Safe Haven board member, praises Burns' contributions, stating, "There's nothing quiet about Dominique, and when she decides to speak, and it's not all the time, she commands attention."

Burns continues to make a positive impact through her role on the Safe Haven board. Her experience highlights the vital role that organizations like Safe Haven Family Shelter play in helping families in crisis regain stability and build better lives. With the right support and opportunities, individuals can overcome even the most challenging circumstances and go on to make a difference in their communities.

Key Takeaways

• Dominique Burns, a single mom of 2, moved to Nashville with $700 and no job prospects in 2017.
• She struggled at Nashville Rescue Mission, but found support at Safe Haven Family Shelter.
• Within 8 weeks, Safe Haven helped Burns secure an apartment, job, and school for her son.
• Burns joined Safe Haven's advisory council and later became a board member, bringing her lived experience.
• Her story highlights the importance of organizations like Safe Haven in supporting families in crisis.