In This Article
Written by Courtney Mabie, Success Coach at Freedom House Ministries
View a full gallery of kids sledding.
Homelessness is a crushing experience for anyone, but its profound impact on children can often be overlooked. For them, the loss of home isn’t just the loss of a roof over their heads—it’s the loss of everything that once felt familiar and safe. Their world is suddenly turned upside down. Their friends on the bus change. Maybe they’re sent to a new school altogether. The neighbors they once played with are no longer around, and the home they loved is just a memory. They may not fully understand why everything is changing, but they certainly feel the impact. For a child facing homelessness, life becomes an overwhelming journey of adjustment and loss.
At Freedom House, we understand that these changes can be deeply traumatic for children. We know how important it is to find ways to help restore a sense of normalcy, even during hardship. That’s why we look for simple, yet meaningful ways to create moments of joy and stability. One such way is through something as simple as sledding on a sunny Thursday afternoon. To some, sledding may seem like a small and playful activity, but to a child in shelter, it’s so much more. It’s an opportunity to feel like a child again—free, joyful, and unburdened by the weight of their circumstances.
On that random Thursday, as the kids of Freedom House raced down the hill together, something magical happened. The laughter echoed through the park, and for an hour, the reality of their difficult situation faded into the background. They shared the thrill of sledding with newfound friends, built memories together, and simply had fun. For those moments, they weren’t children facing homelessness—they were just kids enjoying a moment of freedom. It may have been brief, but at that time, they found comfort in each other’s company, and for just a while, they could forget the struggles they face. And that, in itself, is a victory worth cherishing.
