Geina and Trina’s Story

Twin sisters pay it forward

Geina and Trina, twin sisters, were born in New Orleans. The two were inseparable growing up and shared everything with one another. While their relationship was strong and dependable, their home life was marked by neglect and instability. Their parents tried to take care of them and their four siblings, but neither their mom nor dad could show up for the children like they needed. Sadly, their mom turned to substance use, which made the kids feel alone, cheated out of a mom.

The twins stuck together, happy to have each other. But at age 16, Geina got pregnant. Their mom kicked Geina and Trina both out of the house, not caring where they went. Child protective services separated the twins, sending Geina to Covenant House New Orleans because she was pregnant and Trina elsewhere for care.

“We’d never been separated our whole life. I was scared,” Trina says.

“It was just like somebody tearing a part of me from me … I didn’t think I would ever see my sister again,” Geina recalls.

Geina was angry when she got here, but as she began to let our teams help her, things began to look up. With the support and kindness she found here, she slowly built a life for herself and for her growing family, too.

When Trina made her way to Covenant House two years later, she remembers feeling disconnected from her sister, like she was no longer part of her family. “I needed counseling for being separated from my family. Lord, I had a lot of anxiety. Well, Covenant House gave me a lot of resources. They showed us love. I mean they encouraged me,” says Trina.

In time, Trina was able to heal and rebuild her relationship with Geina. They learned love and acceptance. And they both knew they wanted to be there for other kids. So Trina and her sister began to foster children and have since fostered more than 30 kids.

Geina and Trina both returned to Covenant House New Orleans to participate in Sleep Out’s 10th anniversary. And since their life-changing experiences here more than three decades ago, the pair remain committed to their guiding principle — pay it forward.