Jason and Rosie feel like they’re among family.

Before coming to the Mission, life for Rosie and Jason was a daily fight for survival. Rosie was trapped in a violent relationship, and Jason was living in a separate shelter. When Rosie finally escaped, Jason left his shelter to be with her — and together, they ended up on the streets.

“As two young people just trying to make it, we were scrambling,” Jason said. “We would ride the Orange Line that runs from Chatsworth to North Hollywood and we would ride the bus back and forth with a blanket. I would let her sleep while I kept watch.”

Nights were long and frightening. They sometimes slept outdoors, where Jason stayed awake to keep them safe. “It was scary with all sorts of animals at night. I would wake up and shine the light on anything that moved,” Jason said.

Eventually, they found shelter in a rundown RV. It offered a roof over their heads, but no power, water, or electricity. The area was isolated — accessible only on foot — and food was scarce.

“We couldn’t eat every day, money was tight. But on the days we had money, when we would hike down and get ramen and Spam, we would feel on top of the world. I would work but (the pay) was just barely enough for food. We couldn’t pay for rent or other things.”

When they lost the RV, Rosie discovered she was pregnant. Around that time, Jason’s father — who he hadn’t spoken to in two years — reached out and paid for a hotel room for two weeks. But during that short stay, Jason lost his job. Out of options, they began contacting shelters and organizations until they finally arrived at the Mission.

“When we first met Josie for the interview, I remember I was crying. Rosie was almost at the end of her pregnancy. We must’ve looked so scared,” Jason said. “We’ve now been here for about four months, and everything has been going great. We both have had time to seek God, I was able to find another job, and we have a daughter, Jayleen.

“I have a clear head now. I know my daughter is going to be alright. That she’s going to be raised with her mom and dad, and she doesn’t have to sleep outside. We don’t have to worry about food or baby products. Everybody has been generous to us, looked out for us.  Everybody came together for us. They say it takes a village.”

Now, Rosie and Jason are building a stable future surrounded by care and community. Rosie is determined to complete her GED and Jason is hoping to find full-time employment. Their gratitude extends beyond the Mission staff to the families who share the shelter with them.

“You put a group of people together who don’t really know each other, but automatically it’s a community. People seem to care about each other, which we didn’t get outside the Mission. People care about being a family here.”