Family finds peace for the holiday season through Grace Centers of Hope

CLAWSON — Last year, Alyssa Depaolis and her two sons celebrated Christmas in a hotel room with just the three of them.

The family made the most of the situation, ordering in and opening gifts ordered from Amazon together.

This year, 33-year-old Depaolis and her two sons will be celebrating the holiday surrounded by residents at Grace Centers of Hope after spending nine months learning the skills necessary to live an independent life.

Originally from Clawson, Depaolis lived a life of uncertainty, moving from place to place. She ended up in North Carolina, where she worked a midnight shift and homeschooled her children. She lived paycheck to paycheck until it was no longer sustainable.

“I got burnt out on that and kind of lost our rental housing because it was really hard to live paycheck to paycheck and keep that up for a long time,” she said. “I realized that we had to move back home to Michigan.”

Upon moving back, Depaolis called Grace Centers of Hope looking for guidance and a place to stay. This was the beginning of her life-changing journey in the women’s one-year life skills program.

“It’s been a phenomenal stay. There is nothing that we have gone without. Grace Centers of Hope have provided everything that me and my kids need,” she said. “My kids have now rejoined the public school system, they are socializing with kids their age and thriving in school. I have gotten myself back on my feet by remaining stable and learning coping mechanisms for my emotional and mental stability for my future.”

Depaolis lives with the Grace Center community at 35 E. Huron St. in Pontiac and spends time serving at Grace Gospel fellowship located at 65 E. Huron St. in Pontiac in the kids ministry. On the weekends she works as a resident assistant.

“It is a very happy and healthy environment for us here, and I have been really thankful to have been a part of it,” she said.

Throughout the year, Grace Centers of Hope makes sure the residents experience all the holidays.

“Grace has events and celebrations to make us residents feel like we are not missing out on something, and gaining memories and experiences,” Depaolis said. “I have really enjoyed that.”

This Christmas season, the center will be making a huge dinner for the residents and hosting a few different Christmas-themed events for the kids and parents. Santa Claus will visit the center with toys for the kids, the church will host a Christmas party, and more.

“It feels like a family-based setting, especially because we have been there for so long. We know everyone there, all the residents really love my sons, and they compliment them all of the time,” Depaolis said.

Depaolis said that her boys are grateful for the Christmas celebrations that the Grace Center is going to provide. She said they love to be there and have made some great memories and friends along the way.

“They will not feel any loss about spending the holidays at Grace. They don’t want to leave; they really like the friends they have made,” she said. “There’s got to be at least 20 Grace kids or more that they have grown close to and are looking forward to spending the holidays with.”

CEO of Grace Centers for Hope Darin Weiss said that Depaolis’ journey is one he will continue to remember.

“Alyssa is a joy to be around. She is life-giving and always joyful with a smile on her face,” Weiss said. “It is very encouraging to us and to the staff and residents to see somebody that was in a really bad palace, struggling with homelessness, getting back on her feet with not just her but her kids.”

Weiss said that it’s always great to see the success of residents who go through the program. Weiss said that the majority of the people who enter into the one-year life skills program have a good chance of leaving Grace Centers ready to lead an independent lifestyle.

“People who graduate from our yearlong program and go into our aftercare program, like 90% of them are still working,” Weiss said. “Over 90% are still working, paying rent. They’re sober, they have their lives back in a lot of tangible ways.”

Depaolis will move into the aftercare housing after her completion of the one-year program in February and begin her new job as an operation specialist at United Wholesale Mortgage.

“I am very grateful that Grace gave us this opportunity. My family, I don’t know where I would be without them,” she said. “God has really blessed our life and my family specifically. The opportunities that my future holds now give me a lot of motivation and I am always going to be grateful for the steppingstone in life that Grace has given me.”

Grace Centers for Hope has multiple programs for all walks of life, all funded by volunteers, donations and money made through their three thrift stores.

“If anybody wants to help, we are always eager. We have thousands of volunteers every year and just really believe in people helping people in the community,” Weiss said.

Weiss said that Grace Center’s doors are always open to those in need.

“I would encourage anyone to come out here. I would love to give them a tour and show them around, and show them that our programs work amazing,” he said. “We want to help people go from homelessness to homeownership. We don’t want to just feed, clothe and shelter people and sort of enable the same situation. We want to give them their whole life back.”

For more information on Grace Centers of Hope, visit gracecentersofhope.org.