Staff Highlight: Meet Lori
Lori, a Supportive Services Coordinator for Tenfold, shares how her experience overcoming addiction shapes the work she does supporting Tenfold clients.
Lori grew up in Lancaster with her parents and three brothers. Her dad was a police officer, her mom was a paralegal, and they had “a good life in the suburbs,” says Lori. Then, things changed for her. “I ended up, in my late twenties, finding out that I had an addiction,” she says. “And I ran with that for a long time.”
As she continued struggling with addiction over the years, she eventually asked her family to step in and raise her four kids. “Thank God I had them,” she says. Then, she turned forty and discovered she was pregnant.
“I was still in my addiction,” she explains. “And I just surrendered, like that day.” She walked into a church and made the decision to quit. Since that moment, Lori has not returned to her addiction, and her faith has guided her. “I struggled for years, but one day I just surrendered,” she says. “I give all the glory to Him.”
Throughout the rest of her pregnancy and the first six months of her son’s life, Lori sought help from several Lancaster nonprofits. Among them were Tabor and LHOP (prior to their merger to become Tenfold), which helped her understand and improve her credit report, manage student loan default, and understand her rights as a tenant when she got her own apartment.
Eventually, she went to college and got an associate’s degree in legal science. “I did that all through the support and networking of the programs in Lancaster County. I just kept grabbing at everything I could,” she explains.
Despite her clarity and determination, Lori’s experience was not without challenges. One of the greatest challenges was how others perceived her. “I would say the hardest part was not carrying that I’m an addict,” she explains. “It’s so hard in the period where you’re rebuilding yourself, to be looked at as Lori, not as who I was before.” Despite this, she persisted in showing others how she had changed and who she was now. “Rebuilding relationships is very important in people’s recovery,” she adds. “You have to make amends.”
Now, Lori uses the wisdom she gained from her experiences to guide others. In her role as a Supportive Services Coordinator for Tenfold, she helps residents remain housed, navigate their social and health needs, and achieve their personal, financial, and medical goals. “It’s easier to build relationships, because I get it,” she explains. Her motto is “recover out loud”, because sharing her story allows her to help others.
Whenever her clients are experiencing challenges, she gives them the encouragement to keep going and achieve their goals. “You can always grow and evolve, and there’s always something more,” she says. “It’s just awesome to be a cheerleader for others.”
Today, Lori is a proud homeowner and has rebuilt relationships with all five of her children. “I just have a good life,” she says. To those who are facing addiction or other challenges, her advice is “It’s not what knocks you down, it’s how long you lay. Get up and get going. If you get moving, we can fix it. And that’s what Tenfold is—what’s the solution? Not what’s the band-aid, what’s the solution?”
Tenfold’s mission is to spark the power in all people to achieve equitable housing and financial security. Our continuum of services includes street outreach for unsheltered individuals; the TLC shelter for individuals, families, and veterans experiencing homelessness; free financial empowerment and education; eviction prevention and fair housing services; and support for first-time homebuyers.
Interested in supporting Tenfold’s work and learning more about what we do? Join us for a fun-filled night of celebration and fundraising at Decades on May 20th, 2025! Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.