A car wreck eight years ago left Betty, a 31-year-old single mother, with head injuries.

As a result, Betty suffers from seizures, a problem made worse by the violent abuse her ex-husband used to inflict on her.

Betty had three children before she turned 19. At 21, her marriage ended. Her daughters are now 16 and 14, her son 13. Betty could no longer work after her car wreck, but she resolved to take control of her life and become a better mother to her children.

A few months ago, doctors told Betty, who lives in a HUD-subsidized home, she had multiple sclerosis. In five years, the doctor said, she may need a wheelchair.

Now, she said, her faith in God has changed her for the better. Her children inspire her daily. “They are my helpers and comforters,” she told her social worker.

Betty lacks the things others take for granted. The family has one bath towel, one pot, one pan, not much in the way of cleaning supplies.

Betty came to Covenant House after receiving a utility cutoff notice. "That’s how we meet many of our families," said Sheryn Carey, who provides social services for the homeless and those at risk to be homeless.

"We’re talking mostly about the working poor," Carey said. "Most of the people we see are working 35 to 50 hours a week, and trying to maintain a semblance of a normal life. We see them two or three times a year for help with utility bills or food from our pantry."

Former nuns Pat Hussey and Barbara Ferraro have run Covenant House since its beginning in 1981.

The center is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, providing a drop-in center where people can wash and dry their laundry, shower or relax in a sitting area. Kids can play in a children’s area.

People who don’t have safe addresses pick up their mail at Covenant House, Carey said, adding that she helps people get photo identification cards. "You can’t get an apartment without a photo ID. No one will hire you without a photo ID and Social Security card."

Between the drop-in program and AIDS-related services, Covenant House has served 25,000 visitors the first 10 months this year at its 13,000-square-foot, three-story home on Shrewsbury Street, Hussey said.

The drop-in and AIDS programs cost $415,000 a year, a sizable chunk of Covenant House’s $1.01 million annual budget, Hussey said.

Covenant House also operates a clothes closet and food pantry and offers emergency assistance to Charleston residents who have received utility termination notices or eviction notices. Volunteers assist the paid staff, giving a few hours once a week or even once a month.

This year, Covenant House has begun a legal aid program, Carey said. A lawyer comes there twice a month to help people understand the rules and navigate the bureaucracy on issues like medical cards, food stamps and Social Security disability payments.

To contact Covenant House, call 344-8433.