Yellow Home Sanctuary:

A Healing Home for Animals and Their Humans

GOAL: To Help People and Animals:

My vision is to create a safe and nurturing sanctuary for people and their animals who are going through hardship I will help them by offering healing, learning opportunities, and support after the hardships they have endured. The name will be “Yellow Home Sanctuary: A Healing Home for Animals and Their Humans.”

My Story:

My name is Jordana Correia. I am an animal and nature lover. I love planting flowers, fruit, vegetables, and learning about ways to preserve the environment. I am passionate about helping pets in need. And now, because of personal experience, I am also committed to helping people with pets they may lose if they seek safety from abusive relationships and other hardships.

I had a dream of having a healthy family, like so many people do. Unfortunately, I fell into a trap of a skilled manipulator who pretended to be all that I loved, but basically all he wanted was to have a maid/cook/servant in his life. Moreover, I was emotionally and physically abused.

At the time, I was helping feral cats by trapping, feeding, neutering, and returning them to supported colonies around the city of Hayward, CA. My most important role, however, is being the best mother and protector of my small son and our beloved animals. I am now an abuse survivor who fled my abuser's home over a year ago. After years of abuse, I decided to escape with our son before it was too late for me to be able to teach our son better values and for me to rebuild my crushed spirit. It wasn't only me and my son who needed help; it was also our animals.

It was so hard to leave due to my low credit score and very low income. For the last 7 years of my life, I was doing everything for the abusive man who provided a roof over my head, my son’s, and our animals'. I was not allowed or encouraged to do anything for myself. I was cleaning houses before I met him and found mercy by keeping a few clients who generously helped me to get out of his house. Once I left, my landlady was kind and believed in my potential and my ability to pay rent on time. She rented me a one bedroom that my now 4-year-old little boy named 'Yellow Home.' When the courts ordered visitation time with his father, he started calling our home ‘Yellow Home’ and his father's home 'Blue House.' He would cry and say, 'I don't want to go to Blue House, Mommy. I want to stay at Yellow Home.' He feels safe at Yellow Home, and so do I and our animals.

Yellow Home is peaceful and full of love and quality learning time, where I can teach my son about gardening, nature, and nurturing plant and animal life. I was forced to create a healing environment for myself due to the fact that there were no resources or support for those in my situation. You would think there would be support especially in the Bay Area, but the system forces people to stay in deep poverty in order to get any assistance, not allowing people to re-build their lives. Also, people have to give up their pets who are part of their family and are very important for the healing process. After a year and a half, I am better but still have some financial challenges. I have big plans to help our little family and others.

My Vision and How you can help:

My vision is to provide a sanctuary for people and their animals, who are going through hardship and share my desire for a safe and nurturing environment. I have dreamed and thought hard about how to help others who face similar situations to what I faced. I have found a modest but ideal plot of land to start rebuilding my life, with a small existing home and a creek running through it. I have been pre-approved for a mortgage loan but lack the resources for the required 10% down payment. I decided to do a GoFundMe to make this dream of helping me, my son, our animals and others who need help, a reality. I cannot start this without the permanent space.

On this land, I plan to grow vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers. I will build animal enclosures, starting with cat enclosures and dog runs. I will rent attractive camping spots to help generate funds for the payment of the property. Also, I plan on making this as self sustaining as possible with solar energy and water collection and treatment. People regularly comment on my ability to create, build, and transform spaces. I am deeply committed to and passionate about this project.

I will be helping animals and people who need a safe home, a place that will provide healing, learning opportunities, and support after the hardships they have been through. The name will be Yellow Home Sanctuary, a healing home for animals and their humans. People and their pets are our main focus now, but later I hope to expand the structure for rescuing farm animals as well. My son is still young but is already a nature lover and protector just like his mom. After 1 year of therapy to address my PTSD from the abuse I experienced, I feel ready to start building something that will last through generations.

I will combine my passion for planting my own food, caring for and protecting animals with my desire to help others; to share my knowledge with those in need of shelter to make a big positive impact in our communities. My family (my son, our 3 cats, 2 dogs, and I) is the first of many broken families you are going to help make whole again. I count on your kindness, compassion, and generosity to support my dream of creating a safe haven on earth. I promise to keep you updated on the fast progress of this amazing cause you are supporting.

Some of the activities at the Yellow Home Sanctuary (in addition to the safe and supportive space of kind humans, pets, a thriving garden and creek) are:

Also:

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you and God bless you.