Amanda Hoeg: A Project SAFE Success Story
AMANDA HOEG is a graduate of the Project SAFE Internship Program. Amanda did such a wonderful job with her internship that IMPACT hired her for a permanent position. She now works as IMPACT’s Administrative & Enrollment Coordinator and she and her children recently moved out of the shelter and into an apartment of their own.
Photo: Amanda Hoeg with DTA commissioner Julia E. Kehoe
My name is Amanda Hoeg. I am 22 years old and I have two children. I lived in shelter for 19 months.
When I was a child, I grew up in a home where there was a lot of Domestic Violence. I watched my mother be brutally abused by my Stepfather every day. Then one day the beatings lead to her death. At 6 years old I watched my mother be beaten and then stabbed to death by her abuser, my stepfather.
Then I moved from family member to family member and then to a residential home at the Department of Social Services (DSS). When I was, fourteen I met this guy and I thought that he was the best thing ever. Later I started being abused by him. I knew it wasn’t right, but growing up I was never shown anything else I thought that was how someone showed you that they loved you. Later I realized that that was not the case at all. I thank god that I got out when I did.
When I was 16, I met my real father and he offered me a place to stay when I aged out off DSS. So when I turned 18 I moved in with him. I finally thought that I would have some stability in my life and boy was I wrong. I had a full time job and a car. I had a new boyfriend who I had met when I was 17. Everything seemed good but then I ended up pregnant and my boyfriend was not happy and neither was my father. My father kicked me out and again I was on the street and staying with a friend. Then a few months later my father told me that I could come back and stay with him.
When my daughter was 3 months old my father again kicked me out and I was moving all around with my daughter. From there, I ended up in shelter. While in shelter I learned that I was pregnant with another baby. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know who to turn to I thought that things couldn’t get any worse. But as time went on I went back to school for GED classes and ended up with my GED. I felt so good about myself when that happened because I was so depressed I just had another baby and I was so stressed and my kids father and myself started to work things out and I was feeling better about things.
I was in shelter for about 15 months when the staff came to us and said that we had a class that we had to take called IMPACT. They said that it was this self-defense course and I was so aggravated I really did not want to take this class at all. I said, “I know how to fight; what can they teach me?” I was so negative about it.
Then after the first two classes I loved it. I did not want it to end. The instructors were great. I felt empowered and felt so good to be me for once in my life. It felt so good to know how much stronger I felt within myself and know that no one can take me down and destroy me as a woman and as a mother.
After taking the class I was offered and internship here at IMPACT and I loved it. Every woman should feel powerful when they are alone and when there not and IMPACT helps you do that. They have also offered me a permanent job and now I can help other women like me and even the women who may not have gone through anything traumatic. I have been doing the job since December of 2007 and I love it. The people at IMPACT are great. They will do anything to help you feel better about yourself and make sure that you feel safe with yourself.
That is my story and I hope that I have inspired you to go on with you life no matter what you have been through. Good things are bound to happen sooner or later.
