Barb Allen’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and second chances. From a childhood marked by loss and addiction to years spent in survival mode, she never imagined a way out. But through the Home Again program at Harvest House, she found more than just a place to live—she found hope, healing, and a path to reunite with her children.
Her journey is proof that no one is too far gone to find their way home. Here’s her story – one you won’t forget. (These remarks are from the 2025 Home Again Luncheon as delivered by Barb Allen)
Good Afternoon Everyone!
Before I begin, I want to take a deep breath and really take in this moment. Because standing here today, sharing my story, is something I never thought I’d be doing. But more than that, living the life I have today is something I never thought was possible.
I grew up in a world of chaos. Both of my parents struggled with addiction—addiction that eventually took their lives. My mother passed away when I was just five years old from HIV/AIDS. My father took his own life when I was 18, when I was nine months pregnant with my first child.
From the start, life never felt safe. My grandparents raised me for as long as they could, but by the time I was 16, I had buried every parental figure I had ever known. On my 16th birthday, I stood at my grandfather’s funeral, feeling completely alone in the world.
The truth is, my father was not just an addict. He was my abuser. The person who was supposed to protect me took everything from me instead. I learned to run from home at a young age—finding comfort in the streets, in the wrong crowd, in anything that made me feel like I belonged.
By the time I was a teenager, I had been in and out of juvenile detention, caught in a cycle of destruction I couldn’t escape. After my father’s death, my own addiction took hold. I turned to drugs to numb the pain, to quiet the shame, to forget the things I couldn’t face. It started as partying, but quickly, I was dependent. Crack cocaine became my escape from a reality I didn’t want to live in. And in the process, I lost the very thing I always swore I would protect—my children.
I spent a total of ten years behind bars. Ten years of brokenness of missing my babies, of hitting rock bottom over and over again. My lowest moment came when I gave birth to my daughter in prison. Three days later, I had to leave her in the hospital, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hold her again for nearly three years. That moment wrecked me. But even then, I didn’t know how to change.
On my birthday, I was arrested for what should have been another three-year prison sentence. But this time was different. This time, I was done. I had nothing left.
I fought for eight months—eight long months of being laughed at, of being told “no,” of hearing that I would never change—but I refused to give up. And then, a miracle happened. Instead of another prison sentence, I was sentenced to the Harvest House Freedom Recovery Program.
Exactly 20 years after burying the only real father figure I had ever known, my Father God found me.
When I walked through the doors of Harvest House, I had nothing. I had burned every bridge, lost every relationship, and destroyed every opportunity. But for the first time in my life, I had hope. The people at Harvest House didn’t see me as an addict, or a criminal, or a lost cause. They saw me as a mother fighting to rebuild her life. They saw me as someone worth saving.
And so, I did the work. I got honest. I listened. I paid off every fine, every fee, climbed over every roadblock standing between me and my children. I got my license back after eight years. I paid off over $5,000 in back child support. I rebuilt my credit. And I fought with everything I had to get my babies back.
And I did.
After completing the Freedom Program, I was accepted into the Home Again Program, the next step in rebuilding my life. This program was my bridge to reunification. Through Home Again, I was able to have a safe, stable place to bring my daughter Jayda home. For the first time since she was one year old, my daughter got to come home. Under my roof. With me as her mother.
I’ll never forget what that felt like. It was the moment I had prayed for, the moment I never thought I’d see.
But I didn’t stop there. The daughter I gave birth to in prison. I reopened her case plan. And today, I have full custody of Alyssa with no DCF involvement.
My son, who is now 15, lives in Massachusetts with his paternal aunt. And while I don’t get to see him every day, God is restoring that relationship more and more every day. I know in my heart that the work I am doing now, the life I am building, is paving the way for us to heal.
That is the power of Home Again.
This program gave me what I never had—a foundation. A roadmap. A way to rebuild my life, step by step. It wasn’t just a place to live. It was a place to heal. The people at Harvest House helped me navigate parenting classes, financial literacy, and therapy. They connected me with resources I didn’t even know existed. They loved me when I didn’t know how to love myself.
And today, because of Home Again, my family is whole.
Jayda graduated high school and is now in college, studying business management and accounting. Alyssa is safe, loved, and thriving. And I’m here, standing in front of you, with a life I never thought was possible.
But my story doesn’t end there.
Today, I work full-time at Harvest House. The very place that gave me back my dignity is now the place where I get to help others find theirs. Because dignity is a non-negotiable. No one should have to fight to be treated like they matter. No one should have to convince the world that they deserve another chance. Harvest House saw me when no one else did. They fought for me when I couldn’t fight for myself. And now, I get to do that for someone else.
I’ve learned how to be a productive member of society. That may sound simple to many, but I had never even filed taxes before! I had a credit score of 480 and multiple debts in collections. I had no clue how to manage my finances, let alone build a future.
But today, I have a credit score of 700, all my collections are satisfied, and I’m working toward buying my own home through Habitat for Humanity—something I once thought was impossible.
The success of Harvest House and its programs is personal. It’s personal because I stand here today as proof that it works. It’s personal because I know what it feels like to believe you’re too far gone.
And it’s personal because I know there are people sitting in jail cells, or moms living on the streets with their kids, or trapped in addiction right now, people just like me, who are waiting for someone to believe in them.
It’s personal because I believe in them.
So today, I ask, will you believe in them with me? To see in them the way Harvest House saw me. To invest in the lives that are still waiting for their miracle.
Because home isn’t just a place. It’s a fresh start. It’s a life restored. It’s family and belonging.
And I am living proof it’s possible.
Thank you.
