Annett’s Story
The Heart Behind Hope Heals
As someone who had experienced homelessness, Annett understands what it’s like and strives to help others out of this situation.
Annett Bovent, the director and founder of Hope Heals, moved to the Walla Walla Valley 20 years ago as a single mother with three growing children. She found herself homeless 3 times over a 12-year period. The third time she ended up living in her RV for three long years. Annett tried to find work, but many employers refused to hire her without a permanent residential address. Finally, she won an interest free loan on a brand new home though Hayden Homes/First Story.
After receiving this miracle in her life, her oldest son (age 23 at the time) took his younger brother and sister shopping. When they got back, my son had purchased the basic needs that I needed to start a new home. They got things like a garbage can, a mop, a broom, and dish soap. My son gave me HOPE, hope to carry on and enjoy life.
Five years later, she had an accident at work that left her depressed and ready to give up. One day, after feeling that her life was about to end, she went to her counselor and told her about what she was experiencing. She told her counselor that she was thinking about helping people and that she wanted to start giving others HOPE like her son had given her; or she was not going to be around anymore. Her counselor said, "I want to sponsor your first care package, and every December care package after that." Annett was so excited that she took her counselor up on the offer and that's when Hope Heals began.
In December of 2013, Hope Heals delivered it’s first care package to a single mom with a 15-year-old son, who had secured housing and who had recently started a nice job in town. Our goal was to provide them with their basic needs so that they could reach out and get the help they needed with their physical and mental health.
In the past 6 and a half years, Annett (wearing yellow in this photo) has been providing HOPE to so many people in need. In 2019, Hope Heals provided 97 move-in care packages, and so far this year (2020), we have provided over 100 care packages!