Making A Difference That Matters
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Victories to Celebrate.
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Christmas is upon us, and the celebration will go on
Christmas is upon us, and we are excited to celebrate with those we serve. As with so many other events, we will be changing how we do Christmas events and meals, and we are making a way to celebrate the birth of Jesus in spite of the pandemic. Our Pop-up Christmas Shop will serve past…
After battle with depression, addiction, Royce starts new life after graduation
Royce lost his father when he was 7. “I was sitting on his lap with my sister one night, and he told us that he loved us. Then his eyes rolled back into his head.” The doctors said he fell into a coma. They said he would be OK, so my mom left the hospital.…
Hot meals and a drive-thru pantry will allow us to serve more this Thanksgiving
This November marks our 21st year of serving the community at Thanksgiving. Although COVID-19 has caused us to shift our plans a bit as we consider the safety of those we serve, we remain committed to provide Thanksgiving meals during a time when food security is impacting more families in our community than ever before.…
Miguel aims to be a good example to his 4 children
Miguel said his girlfriend first caught his eye when she moved into his neighborhood when they were teenagers. They started dating when he was 16, and a year later, she was pregnant. “It was hard,” he said. “I didn’t have much time to have fun. I dropped out of high school and started working. I’ve…
The Roth family grows in size, and in faith, at the Mission
Laurence and Camille both grew up in Northern New Jersey but didn’t meet until they both had relocated to Los Angeles. Laurence had struggled with heroin off and on since he was 19, but was a year clean when they met at a bar three-and-a-half years ago. The couple clicked instantly and even moved in…
Mission’s mobile shower program going strong throughout COVID challenges
As COVID continues to disrupt much our daily lives, our Survival Outreach Services program is still out in the community, providing hot showers, meals and other services for those in need on the streets. “There’s been an increase in visitors—people who once showered at gyms or parks or beaches who can no longer do so,”…
A series of tragedies, financial hardships leaves Vincent on the streets
Looking back at his childhood, Vincent recalls camping and spending summers surfing with his dad and three brothers. “He was a high school teacher, so he had the summers off, so we were just beach bums,” said Vincent, who added that his mom was a registered nurse. Vincent graduated from high school and then got…
Serena ‘doesn’t let circumstances define’ her
Serena grew up in a household full of children. Her adoptive mother, a retired veterinarian, had adopted six other children. Serena, who came in at age 2, grew up with two older brothers and four younger siblings in their home in Long Beach. “I grew up with all of them,” she said. “It was adventurous.…
Cindy is getting stronger, becoming a better person at the mission
Cindy was born in Colombia, but came to the United States with her mom and stepdad when she was 9. Their relationship ended, though, and Cindy was raised by a single mother. “Everything changed,” she said. “After that, I wasn’t really focusing in school. At the time, I didn’t really think it was that important.…
Jose says the Mission has helped him ‘find himself in Christ’
Growing up with strict parents led Jose to push the limits as a kid, and it only continued as he got older. “I used school as an escape, a reason to do whatever I wanted,” he said. “In high school, I started skipping more and more. I remember once my mom caught me and walked…
Pantry distributes more than 14,000 meals to families all over L.A.
When it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to severely impact the San Fernando Valley, resulting in a health emergency and economic repercussions, the Mission sprang into action. Just days after the idea was formulated, a pop-up pantry at the Northridge Fashion Center was launched. The pantry, a collaboration between the mission, Harbor…
Joe: ‘I’m here to change my life’
Joe remembers when he was 8 years old, and for a couple of years after, learning about becoming a deacon. “I was a Christian and I’d go with my uncle and study,” he said. “I planned on being a deacon in the church.” But when he was 12, his parents divorced. “Neither of them really…
