On the Road to Rebuilding
Nina came to Salvation Army’s Hickman House from an out-of-state shelter to escape an abuser who had physically assaulted and terrorized her, her four young children, and extended family members. Nina now has a traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by repeated strangulations and assaults. One of her children has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and all four suffer from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Due to cognitive impairment from the TBI, Nina can no longer drive and struggles with the logistics of public transport.
With the help of the grant-funded Uber rides, Nina has managed to enroll her children in school, childcare, and remedial services as well as catch up on doctor’s and dental visits. This also gives her access to community supports that she couldn’t have received otherwise. Through assistance from The Salvation Army, after 11 months in the program, Nina found employment and has used Uber to bridge the transportation gap from her initial hire date to co-worker carpool arrangements. In addition, she has used Uber for urgent care medical visits for her children, thus avoiding the hefty costs of ambulance transport. When asked about how Uber has helped her, Nina said, “Uber has helped us get the help we need. I thank them for helping me get a job.” With no more transportation worries, Nina can now focus on her career and getting her children ready to go back to school.