DETROIT – At 21 years old, Shaunetra Morton found herself living in an abandoned home in Detroit with no utilities, food, or water.
Dependent on an abusive boyfriend and haunted by past traumas, she felt trapped and alone.
“If I didn’t have this program, if I didn’t come here, I would probably be dead or in prison,” Morton said. “This program really impacted my life. Nobody wanted me, or nobody cared about me.”
After losing her brother and enduring abuse at the hands of her uncle, the sense of isolation was overwhelming, and her living conditions were dire.
She was being abused, again, in every way imaginable.
“He hit me in the mouth one day,” Morton recalled, pointing to a scar on her face, later ending up with 10 stitches. “But when she was crying in a church, a woman named Sharon came over and gave her the biggest hug.”
That hug changed her life. Sharon introduced Morton to Covenant House Michigan, a non-profit dedicated to helping young people facing homelessness.
Covenant House provided Morton with essentials many take for granted—shelter, food, hygiene products, and, most importantly, a sense of safety and belonging.
“No one deserves to be homeless,” said Meagan Dunn, CEO of Covenant House Michigan. “When a person has been in survival mode, worried about where they’ll sleep or eat, nothing else feels attainable. The first step is building trust.”
The program helped Morton earn her GED, supported her through nursing school, and provided life skills training — from mock job interviews to grocery shopping lessons.
“I got clothes, and it made me feel human again,” Morton said.
On Thursday (Nov. 21), at 37, Morton is thriving in the mental health field and is a proud advocate for the organization that transformed her life.
She’ll join others for the 11th annual Covenant House Sleep Out on Nov. 21.
Participants will sleep outside for one night to raise awareness and funds for youth homelessness.
Sam Slaughter, a Covenant House volunteer for the last 11 Sleep Outs, looks forward to the event every year.
“This evening gives us an opportunity to really interact with the youth that are here,” Slaughter said.
He spends much of the night listening to their stories, offering career advice, and simply showing them they are seen and valued.
“It’s not about what you talk about; it’s that you’re listening,” Slaughter said.
For Morton, Slaughter, Meagan, and others, the Sleep Out is more than an event — it’s a call to action.
Click here to donate to Covenant House Michigan or to join the next Sleep Out.
