The Trenton Times published the following article on May 23, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Trenton reaches out a hand and a home to struggling Ewing mother who lived in storage locker with her children

By Alex Zdan/The Times 
on May 23, 2013 at 6:50 AM, updated May 23, 2013 at 10:05 AM

TRENTON — Sheena Johnson’s second chance keeps getting better.

In front of more than 50 people at a fundraiser Tuesday night, the 27-year-old who was living with her two sons in a storage lockerlittle more than a month ago was given a gift of free housing. The event at the Big Easy restaurant also collected $6,000 to be placed into a trust fund for the mother and her children.

Turning Point United Methodist Church of Trenton board chair Kevin Worthington stood up and said that Johnson could live rent-free inside their building in the city for a full year.

Johnson was overwhelmed, describing herself as very happy and “astonished” by the gesture from the community and the knowledge that “my boys will have a place to live.”

Her two sons, 5 and 10 years old, remain in foster care. Johnson, who was charged with two second-degree counts of child endangerment after police found her boys inside the Ewing storage facility April 18, is not allowed contact with her children. But she still hopes they all will live as a family someday.

Organizers said the total funds raised at the South Warren Street restaurant could go higher as other donors have stepped forward. Dan Toto, a youth baseball coach who organized the drive with Big Easy owner Olugbala Sababu, said he was thrilled the church stepped up.

After Toto and Sababu bailed the mother out of jail this past weekend, Johnson said she felt like she was “going backwards” Monday when the state Division of Children and Families couldn’t find the key to her storage locker. She finally got in yesterday and was able to retrieve some clothes, but said the jeans she was wearing at the fundraiser were the same she wore the day she was released from jail.

“I’m not going to entertain the social services of New Jersey for this young lady,” Toto said. “I’m not putting my blind faith in that system.”

Disappointment also came when Greater Trenton Behavioral Health, which had promised her housing, simply sent Johnson back to the social services board which had denied her help when she was struggling to look after her boys, Johnson said.

Helen Higginbotham, a former social services worker in Trenton who came to the fundraiser from Wilmington, Del., said Johnson’s case shows some of the failings of the system.

“The system that should help these people, people are scared to approach them,” she said, noting mothers are often afraid they won’t get their children back.

“She’s not the exception,” Higginbotham said of Johnson. “That’s what we need to understand. She’s not the exception.”

Johnson will have her first shot at getting her boys back during a Family Court hearing May 30.

But Tuesday night at the Big Easy, finally done with shaking hands, giving hugs, and greeting everyone who came out to help her, Johnson enjoyed some food and let the good feelings from the evening wash over her.

“This was great,” she said. “There was an abundance of love for everyone.”

The trust fund will be administered by an attorney, with money going solely to items the children and Johnson need. Checks or money orders can be made out to “Trust Fund of Sheena Johnson” and sent to the Big Easy Restaurant, 120 South Warren Street, Trenton.

Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.