From Survival to Sanctuary: Gina and Phoenix’s Story

When Gina took her child, Phoenix, to a concert for their sixteenth birthday, she didn’t know it would spark a chain of events that would completely reshape both of their lives.

The concert - a night of music, love, and laughter - was meant to be a celebration. But in the days that followed, Phoenix’s father began to escalate his control. Accusations flew. Emotional abuse intensified. Gina, who had already given up her own household to live simply and share space with a friend, found herself thrust into emergency custody of Phoenix, navigating a system she never expected to enter.

Phoenix, dealing with the compounded trauma of years of mistreatment, relapsed soon after returning to Gina’s care. What followed was a storm of loss and uncertainty: medical interventions, eviction from their temporary living arrangement, and the painful uncovering of abuse. It was a moment of reckoning, of survival, and of fierce maternal love.

But then came support.

With help from Northumberland County Children and Youth Services and other local programs, Gina and Phoenix were able to move into a small house in Sunbury. They got assistance with rent and utilities - but it was DIG Furniture Bank that transformed their house into a home.

“I walked in with nothing,” Gina shared. “And DIG helped us fill our home with pieces that had life. History. Meaning.” A vintage hutch from 1930. Soft chairs that invite you to sit and rest. And for Phoenix? A pink-and-purple striped dresser that’s since been adorned with handmade flowers and creativity from floor to ceiling.

The space they’ve created is more than functional. It’s sacred. “That’s our sanctuary,” Phoenix says of their home. “No one comes in unless they’re deeply trusted.” For a young person healing from trauma and navigating the world with cerebral palsy, autism, and ADHD, having a room that reflects their identity and feels truly safe is transformational.

DIG didn’t solve every problem, but we helped Gina and Phoenix breathe. We helped them begin again, with furniture that supported their new life and a few beautiful surprises (like a wall sign above the door that reads, Give thanks for blessings that have not come yet). That message feels especially fitting.

Today, Gina is building a life of independence after years of financial control. Phoenix is growing into a creative, vibrant young adult who turns recycled scraps into art and dreams into design. Together, they’re writing a new story: one of resilience, recovery, and deep, lasting love.

At DIG, we believe home should be a place of rest, pride, and healing. And for Gina and Phoenix, it finally is.