Unhappy at work and struggling to balance rent, bills, and mental health issues affecting her life and her six-year-old son, Jessica Reveles left her corporate job. For months she struggled to secure consistent freelance work that paid a living wage. A few months later she had exhausted most of her savings and back to corporate she went. Only a week away from reestablishing healthcare so that she could gain access to necessary medication and ongoing treatment, she lost that job. Plummeted by concerns with regard to her mental health, finances, and her ability to care for her family, Jessica lost her apartment and the family became homeless.

After being referred by the social services hotline and completing the intake process, Jessica’s transformative experience at the Rescue Mission began. “I remember feeling so desperate for security, structure, and stability,” she said. “The Rescue Mission was a safety net for me and my son. The way I saw it, life at the Rescue Mission was my second chance.”

Comprehensive programming; including parenting classes, therapy, case management, and more; helped the Reveles family begin to pick up the pieces and move forward. Staff members connected Jessica to services that helped her access psychiatric care and medication management, apply for childcare benefits, and even earn a coveted seat in Pepperdine University’s Microenterprise Program. Additionally, her son, August, benefited from daily hot meals, a regular schedule, school supplies, tutoring, social skills classes, and art therapy.

After completing a five-month stay at the Rescue Mission, Jessica and August were able to transition into their own stable housing in the San Fernando Valley. Since transitioning out of the Rescue Mission, Jessica has graduated with a certificate from the Pepperdine Microenterprise Program and continues to receive additional business training, counseling, and support as she builds her marketing company.