Story of Strength: Brenda Merz now helping others at Family Promise

Published: Nov. 27, 2022 at 6:24 PM CST
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LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - It’s tough to imagine leaving the hospital with a newborn baby, and with no home to go to. This was the story for Lubbock woman Brenda Merz.

“I had to bring my son home to the park on Avenue Q; we didn’t have nowhere to go,” she says. “We ended up finding an abandoned house and slept in that house that night.”

Brenda was also a victim of domestic violence, before she was rescued by Women’s Protective Services.

“They were amazing to us,” she said. “They made us feel very safe. They made sure we had food, they made sure that we had everything we needed because we came with nothing.”

Brenda first heard about Family Promise during her time at WPS. She now uses her past experiences to help others, now serving as family and volunteer coordinator for the organization.

“Before we knew it, our blessings were growing even more,” she says. “We were at Family Promise for six months after that. I had a lot of physical issues when I was there, and they took care of us.”

Fast-forward months later, Merz was offered a staff position. She has come full circle.

“I have that unique perspective of ‘I want to help other families,’ and I’ve been there,” Brenda says. “The best part is when you get a call from that Mom, who’s lonely and struggling, and thinks that they’re alone, and I can provide that comfort. I can provide them, and then knowing that they’re not alone. To go from being somebody that has nothing, literally, to just being built up by this organization and loved by this organization, and now employed by them.. It’s so amazing.”