Shaunda Helton arrived in Helena three years ago with little more than a sack of clothes slung over her shoulder and her young son Kaegan at her side. They found housing at God's Love, a HUD-funded homeless shelter for single parents and were given a bed in a common room for eight months during which time she received intensive treatment to deal with alcohol and substance abuse.

Shaundra gives the lion's share of the credit for the improvement in her and her son's lives to others. 'All I had to do,' she says, 'was make decisions and then follow through on my commitments.'

Two years ago the Helton's checked out of the family shelter at God's Love for the final time. She has been steadily employed by a local grocery store since then, and just last week attended her first class at the Helena College of Technology.

"I want to become a nurse," Shaundra said, freely admitting the bad choices she's made in the past, but now mustering the strength to make the most of her opportunities. To her, it's a question of ambition, courage and the constant struggle to accept responsibility for her problems and not blame others.

Shaunda says she's not yet out of the woods, and acknowledges that the materials needed to produce another batch of meth are only a few blocks away. But, a lot of things have gone right recently and the temptation to return to her former ways are fading.

Though most of the credit for the changes in her life should go to Shaunda, she credits the support of God's Love, a Housing Choice (Section 8) Voucher, an effective caseworker at the Helena Housing Authority and HUD's Family Self-Sufficiency initiative as the things that have helped most.

Already exploring homebuyer education and possible homeownership in the future, Shaunda says that the money she has in escrow through Family Self-Sufficiency will provide the downpayment for a place she someday wants to call her own.