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The Presence of Peace: How Cheryl Fairbanks Found Home and Renewed Purpose at Shekinah Place
- Dustin Bowman
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
When a homelessness uproots a person’s life, the immediate challenge is finding a physical place of safety. But the deeper, often unspoken challenge is finding a place where your spirit can rest, your dignity can be restored, and your sense of purpose can flourish once again.
At Serve City, our focus is not the number of temporary beds we fill, but by the lives, hope, and communities that are rebuilt within our walls. A beautiful picture of what that transformation looks like is found in the vibrant community thriving at Shekinah Place's Permanent Supportive Housing Program, where you will find Cheryl Fairbanks.
When the Safety Net Vanishes
Cheryl, a 68-year-old African American woman, is deeply rooted in her faith. In 2023, she found herself facing a terrifying reality that no one, especially an elder in our community, should ever have to endure.
The house she had been staying in became entirely uninhabitable. Suddenly displaced and with nowhere to go, Cheryl did what many individuals in housing crises do: she used what resources she had to stay in local hotels, desperately trying to keep a roof over her head. But hotels are an expensive, unsustainable band-aid. Eventually, the money ran out, and Cheryl found herself experiencing homelessness.
When Cheryl walked through the doors of Serve City, she was stepping into a community ecosystem designed to wrap around her with both immediate relief and long-term stability.
Building the Stable Bridge to Independence
True social service delivery is about partnering with people to rebuild their self-sufficiency. Cheryl immediately went to work alongside her case manager to untangle the complexities of her situation.
Together, they focused on the foundational pieces of long-term stability:
Stabilizing Benefits: They worked diligently to secure and stabilize Cheryl’s fixed benefits, ensuring she had a reliable financial foundation moving forward.
Strategic Saving: With her immediate crisis managed by the shelter, Cheryl began intentionally saving her money to prepare for her next chapter.
Layered Support Systems: Recognizing that true independence requires an ongoing safety net, Cheryl was awarded a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) voucher. This crucial resource ensured she would have access to the permanent housing and wrapping supports she needed to thrive.
The safety net grew even stronger last year when Cheryl was connected with a dedicated aide. Today, her aide assists her with errands and helps keep her apartment clean, providing the physical support necessary for Cheryl to comfortably maintain her independent living environment.
A Manifestation of Grace on East Avenue
Today, Cheryl is a resident at Shekinah Place, our permanent supportive housing community on East Avenue. In Hebrew, Shekinah signifies the very presence of God on earth and if you spend even a few minutes on the property, it becomes clear that Cheryl is a living extension of that name.
Cheryl is a fiercely godly woman who has turned her place of housing stability into a launchpad for ministry. She refuses to keep the hope she found to herself. Instead, she regularly leads Bible studies with the other tenants in the building, opening up her heart, sharing the Gospel, and weaving a deep sense of community and mutual support among her neighbors.
She went from running out of options in a hotel room to becoming a spiritual pillar and a beacon of encouragement for an entire building of residents and soon to be an author capturing the true meaning of survival..
Writing Her Next Chapter
Cheryl's journey of overcoming adversity isn't just an inspiration to the people who walk the halls of Shekinah Place; it is a story she is actively preparing to share with the world.
Currently, Cheryl is working on writing her own autobiography. Through her book, she is documenting her powerful life story and the immense struggles she has successfully conquered. By putting her testimony into print, she hopes to offer a roadmap of resilience and faith for anyone else navigating their own dark seasons.
Why Every Connection Matters
Cheryl’s journey perfectly illustrates why the work at Serve City matters. We didn't just hand Cheryl a key and wish her luck; we have stayed by her side, coordinated mainstream resources, and helped build a permanent ecosystem of care around her life.
Because of that comprehensive support, Cheryl Fairbanks isn’t just surviving...she is leading, teaching, writing, and transforming the culture of her building every single day. She is proof that when a community unites to restore dignity, our neighbors don't just find an apartment; they find their way back to the purpose they were born to fulfill.
🦸♂️ Stand in the Gap with Us
Every single connection in our network is required to create full-circle success stories like Cheryl's. When you partner with Serve City, you are directly investing in the permanent housing programs, casework, and resources that bring our elders out of the cold and into a community where they can thrive.
Donate Financially: Help us maintain and expand our permanent supportive housing infrastructure at Shekinah Place.
Volunteer Your Time: Join our frontline mission by serving meals, organizing resources, or assisting with community events.
Partner Your Organization: Connect your church, business, or civic group to our network to strengthen the local safety net.
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