She was 16 when she became homeless. Back on her feet, she wants to help struggling youth
Sarah Brenton wants others in dire straits to recognize they aren’t alone
When a counsellor at the Grace House women's shelter in Fredericton told Sarah Brenton, 23, that she had received a housing offer in January, she was in utter disbelief.
"It didn't feel real," said Brenton, who had been struggling to find a place to call home for the last seven years, while coping with family loss and mental health issues.
"Obviously I was very excited but I didn't believe it because … I haven't had a steady place to call my own in God knows how long."
At 15, Brenton was struggling with various mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. And because her parents didn't have the resources to support her, she was placed in a group home.
At 16, she lost her mother, left the group home and went back and forth between Chrysalis House, a Fredericton youth shelter, and staying with friends and family.
Brenton now lives in a low-income housing unit on Fredericton's north side.
Her experiences speak to the problems that many young people have finding safe, affordable shelter.
According to a 2022 Human Development Council survey on people experiencing homelessness in New Brunswick's three largest cities, 14 per cent were between the gaes of 16 and 24.
As well, 30 per cent had lived in foster care or in a youth group home before becoming homeless.
"I stayed with people where I could," said Brenton.
"I did have friends and family that were able to help me in certain situations — just at the end of the day, unfortunately, [their homes] didn't end up being the most supportive environments for me to be in."
'You'll see a switch happen'
As Brenton's mental health worsened, she said she began using drugs as a coping mechanism.
Eventually, she reached her breaking point.
In early 2021, she discovered her father was in the ICU suffering from multiple organ failure. He has since recovered. The day after she learned that devastating news, her boyfriend ended their 10-month-long relationship, which forced her to rely on couch surfing.
Distraught and with nowhere else to go, Brenton frantically looked for shelter. She found Grace House and was given a bed at the women's shelter the same day.
When people experiencing homelessness first come in, they're in "very survival mode," said Warren Maddox, executive director of Fredericton Homeless Shelters, which oversees Grace House, St. John House and the Brunswick Home.
Over nine years, Maddox has witnessed many of those experiencing homelessness after receiving the help they need.
"'You'll see a switch happen about two, three weeks where that self-survival mode stops and it switches to opportunities. 'So, where can I go?' 'What can I do?' 'How can I get into housing?'"
He found that in recent years, there have been more young people aged 19 to 27 seeking help at Fredericton Homeless Shelters.
Maddox emphasizes homelessness is typically the result of much deeper issues a person faces in their personal life.
"In some cases [young people] are dealing with drugs or mental health," he said. "They just don't have ... support of a family that'll be able to step in."
This rings true for Brenton.
"Some people are homeless due to no fault of their own, [and] we are living in the middle of a housing crisis," she said. "People struggle with addiction and mental health but they also just can't afford to live."
Transforming grief into beauty
The first night in February that Brenton spent in her new home was filled with an unusual stillness.
"I'm very used to living in chaos, so once I was here and on my own and had a moment to breathe, there's a quote that says 'Peace can feel a lot like boredom when you're used to living in chaos,' and that definitely rang true for me."
But now that she's settled in, she's excited to begin the next chapter of her journey by going back to school to fulfil her dream of becoming a counselor to help at-risk youth like she once was.
She wishes people would be more gentle with at-risk youth, "a little bit more understanding [and] listen to their story."
For now, Brenton likes to spend her time painting in the living room with her two cats by her side.
She is currently working on artwork dedicated to her seven-year-old sister, Skyler Dawn Foster, who died from epilepsy in August of last year.
The painting has a sunset in the background — the exact way Brenton remembers the sky looked on the day of Skyler's funeral.
"It's kind of my goal in life to take something sad and make it something beautiful."
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