Meet Melody:
From Survival to Leadership 

"I am still learning who I am and that I can actually do a lot more than I thought I was capable of. I know as long as I do not give up I can accomplish great things."

Melody's journey to CHW's The Parks at Fig Garden community in Fresno was not an easy one. She experienced homelessness, living in a small car with her two-year-old son, struggling daily just to meet their most basic needs. 

"I know what it is like to not have a stable home," she remembers. 

When Melody and her growing family found their home at The Parks at Fig Garden, everything began to change. "It's where we call home and where my fiancé and I chose to grow our family and raise our four beautiful kids." 

But Melody found more than housing—she found a place to discover her potential. 

Through CHW's Resident Leadership Academy (RLA), part of our Health and Wellness programs, Melody participated in the Lotus Group, a women's leadership initiative created specifically to empower women residents. "At its core, it is more than just a leadership program. It is a movement," Melody explains. "We're not just learning—we're leading, advocating, and stepping into roles we once thought were out of reach." 

Inspired by her newfound confidence, Melody applied for CHW's Sue Reynolds Valor Scholarship—and was selected as a 2025 recipient. This scholarship, funded by generous donors like you and part of our Next Generation Success programs, is now supporting Melody's studies in photography and first aid so she can capture precious moments with her four children and keep her active, skateboarding family safe. 

"I am still learning who I am and that I can actually do a lot more than I thought I was capable of," Melody reflects. "I know as long as I do not give up I can accomplish great things." 

This is what home means at CHW: a foundation for transformation, where people like Melody can move from survival to stability, from stability to growth, and from growth to giving back.