Lauren was born and raised in a humble family from rural Virginia. She went to college on an academic scholarship and pursued a path in social services after noticing the vast disconnect between academic discourse and the reality of women’s needs. Lauren has been working as a case manager at Calvary Women's Services for eight months. Lauren has worked with the homeless population in different settings, but she loves the opportunity for relationship and community that Calvary provides.
"In an emergency shelter everyone is on survival mode. The unique thing about transitional housing and Calvary specifically is that women will often enter the program in ‘survival mode’ with guards up; but after a period of transition which includes getting to know staff and residents, I have often witnessed a type of “de-masking.” I call it this because I can literally watch a resident realize that she is safe, that she has enough food for today, a place to shower (and products to shower with), and begin making plans for tomorrow and even next week. ”
Lauren's motto in her personal and professional life is, "I want to love people well, and I want to be loved well. People should be loved for who they are, not what they do. People are in our lives because of their spirit and how they make us feel. I try to be consistent - I want to be the ear that hears things that nobody else has time to hear."
