Alumni Spotlight: Pauletter Williams

At 17 years old, Pauletter and her nine-month-old son were kicked out of their home by her son’s father. With nowhere to go, she found herself at a bus stop in downtown Houston in the pouring rain, trying to figure out where to go next to keep them both safe. That’s when she says that, what she believes was an angel in disguise, changed her future.
“A woman I had never seen before came up to me, pointed to a bus, and told me to get on it and tell the driver to take me to Covenant House,” Pauletta shared. “So I did what she told me, and when I got to Covenant House it was like God had prepared them for me. My life changed from that moment.”
Over the next year at Covenant House Texas, Pauletter completed her GED, got a job and began saving her money. She took every parenting class available to ensure she could be the best mom for her young son. She knew to be successful, she needed to commit herself to Covenant House’s program. “I took the tools that they gave me, and I applied them to my life. And that’s why I’m where I am today. Because Covenant House gave me a sense of direction and a purpose in life.”
A year after her arrival, Pauletter was ready to move into her first apartment, a place she was able to make home with the help of Covenant House, which provided her with some furnishings to start. From there, she got her Certified Nurse Aid license and began to work. She has since gone on to get a degree in healthcare administration and is set to complete her master’s degree next month in business administration.
Next on her list? She’s ready to start her own company working with families of those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia, helping them to create a plan to care for their loved one during a difficult time.
As she reflects on how she got to where she is today compared to that dark, rainy night 40 years ago, she shared, “I really credit Covenant House for everything that has happened. When I look back over my life, I realize it’s the love they provided, the safe haven that I needed, and the structure to succeed, that has made me successful.”
When asked what advice she would give to current Covenant House youth residents, she offered a simple but powerful response. “Stay focused. Work the program. Be consistent. And most importantly, come back when you’re finished and share your story, because hearing what you’ve gone through may change someone else’s entire trajectory.”

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