With her mother, Pat Cahill, teaching in Nanwalek, Jacobsen had a place to begin her small family’s new life after choosing to leave a domestic violence situation in Wyoming. Then, following a dream to establish her own home, Jacobsen qualified for low-income housing at Conifer Woods in Homer. She and her children, Richard and Lia, who were 5 and 1 at the time, relocated to Homer.

“Although I had a lot of household items, I had no furniture,” said Jacobsen, who had her heart set on making the move as stress-free as possible for her two youngsters. “I didn’t mind sleeping on the floor for awhile, but it was important those first few nights to have a bed for them.”

Her search led to a woman with a bed for sale, but the price tag — $100 — was beyond Jacobsen’s budget.

“I didn’t have any money and I didn’t know how to make the money quick enough to make this a home for my children,” she said.

A ray of hope came through the mental health agency with which Jacobsen was involved.

“They connected me with Share the Spirit,” said Jacobsen, who still is awed by the speed with which the nonprofit community service agency responded. “Within two hours, money was given to my caseworker and I was able to have that bed that evening. It was amazing. I was able to make it up with sheets and blankets, read a story to (Richard and Lia) and tuck them into a safe home environment.”

Safe homes and beds for the children in them go hand-in-hand for Jacobsen.

“Beds are a safe place where you snuggle up at night and dream,” she said. “We’ve got to protect the dreams of our youth.”

Dreams and protecting them are something Jacobsen knows all about. On Dec. 12, 2005, she fulfilled one of her own by graduating from Alaska Pacific University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. On-line courses made it possible for Jacobsen and her children to continue to live in Homer. Although she has not yet landed a job with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Jacobsen volunteers at Paul Banks Elementary School while continuing to work at Spenard Builders Supply. This past summer, the three Jacobsens moved into a home on Skyline Drive.

“My children didn’t understand college and all the long nights (of studying), so I told them I was doing it so we could move into a house,” Jacobsen said of translating her commitment to a college education into terms her children understood. “Even though I’m not working for the school district, we had to move. I had to follow through.”

Mindful of the support they have received along the way, the three Jacobsens will be helping with this year’s Share the Spirit spaghetti feed Dec. 12. The event raises money to buy gifts and food for local families during the holiday season.

“I might not have money to give back yet, but I can give my time,” Jacobsen said. “I’m really glad to be able to do that, and also very glad to show my children what volunteering is about. I really want to involve them.”

She also wants to thank all the people that supported her and her children during the past five years.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do this without each individual that took time to care,” Jacobsen said. “The community is there to help us, as long as we don’t abuse it. It’s not a trampoline. It’s a safety net.”