Ellen tells her story at Live in Hope

Tomorrow Starts in Today’s Home

Ellen found more than a home at St. Catherine’s. She found the opportunity to discover what community means to her.

EllenEllen shared how she came to St. Catherine Residence in 1974 and found a home in which to grow and establish a career. As a 20-year-old aspiring nurse, Ellen moved from her hometown of Pewaukee to Milwaukee to launch her career in the medical profession. As the third of nine children, Ellen needed to be able to support herself in her new career. She and her family selected St. Catherine’s for its proximity to St. Mary’s Hospital and for its affordable, safe accommodations. At St. Catherine’s, Ellen found exceptional support for her career. “The experience empowered me as both a woman and an adult,” Ellen explained.

Upon arriving at St. Catherine’s, it instantly felt like home and was a place she could reach her goals. Ellen said that St. Catherine’s not only allowed her the opportunity to live safely and affordably while she worked, it also taught her “how to be accountable, social, and, most importantly, that community mattered. Thank you, St. Catherine’s, for being a bridge to a life of my own.”