Roberts Hall is a Section 8 Single-Room Occupancy unit with space for 24 women. Women range in age and ability when they come to Roberts Hall. The goal of Program Manager Renee Bailey is to help each woman become as self-sufficient as possible so that they can move out on their own.
Renee explains that many of the women at Roberts Hall have limited life skills. “The women here have disabilities and past experiences that haven’t prepared them to live on their own. It’s my intention to teach each woman who comes to Roberts Hall how to be self-sufficient,” she says. “I make every experience I can a learning opportunity.”
In her 17 years at St. Vincent de Paul Louisville, Renee has seen a lot of people flourish after working with case managers. “I’ve seen people who came here with no interest in changing find the motivation to change their lives for the better and live on their own,” Renee smiles. “It’s seeing them after they’ve become self-sufficient, seeing their confidence and their courage, that keeps me here, working with these women. They grow, they blossom, and they move to a more independent life.”
One such woman stayed at Roberts Hall while she worked a variety of jobs. Then, she found her calling working with adults with special needs. “She’s living a life she loves now,” says Renee. “She lives on her own. She loves her work. I am so happy to have played a part in her transformation.”
Most women who live at Roberts Hall gain the life skills and coping skills needed to live more independently within one to three years. However, there is no time limit to a person’s stay. “Some people are more comfortable with the structure and stability of communal living,” Renee explains.
Renee works to make the women’s rooms as comfortable and homey as she can. She welcomes donations of pillows, sheet sets, décor items, and towels and washcloths to make her residents’ lives more comfortable.
We thank you for your generous donations, which allow our program managers like Renee to make a difference to those in need.
Your gifts to St. Vincent de Paul Louisville help women in need live with dignity. Thank you.
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