Written by Marian Johnson
In 2005, my husband, two children, and I moved to Hebo, Oregon, in search of a fresh start. We lived in the front room of single-wide trailer. The bathroom floor had collapsed, and holes in the walls made life challenging, but even then, we felt blessed. Compared to many of our neighbors, we were fortunate to have one of the few working bathrooms in the area.
At the time, my three-year-old son, Trevon, wasn’t speaking yet, which led us to enroll him in Head Start in Beaver, Oregon. He was also picked up by Northwest ESD Tillamook for additional services later in the day. Tre started attending Head Start to address his developmental needs, but what I gained from the experience was far more than I ever expected.
Every day, a small bus would pick up Trevon from our trailer. They kindly made room for me and my one-year-old daughter as well. Head Start didn’t just serve Tre—they fed all three of us and offered me invaluable guidance on how to move forward with my life. They counseled me on returning to school and taking steps to improve my family’s situation.
Even though Trevon went to Tillamook for part of the day, the bus would drop my daughter and me back home, where we waited for his return. It was during those quiet hours, sitting in the front room of that trailer, that I made the decision to enroll in nursing school. It wasn’t an ideal time—without stable housing and with two small children—but I knew it was a step I had to take.
The challenges didn’t end there. We eventually moved to Tillamook, but we lost our home again and were forced to live in a motel funded by the CARE office until they could help us find stable housing. When we finally moved into a house, it felt like a turning point. I still live in that home today, and I’ve even been able to purchase it—a symbol of everything we’ve fought for as a family.
Today, I sit here as the manager of a labor and delivery unit. This achievement wasn’t mine alone; it’s the result of the countless people and organizations that supported me during those difficult years. From Head Start and Northwest ESD to the Oregon Food Bank, CARE, and many others, these groups surrounded my family with warmth, meals, encouragement, and hope. They didn’t just help us survive—they empowered me to dream and take action for a better future.
Sixteen years later, I reflect on how blessed I am to have been part of such an incredible community. I’ll never forget how much these organizations helped me when I had nothing to give my children for Christmas or how they provided food and shelter when everything else seemed to fall apart.