Making A Difference That Matters
Stories that Inspire.
Victories to Celebrate.
Stay connected with all the good work the Mission is doing!
Tamara sees change, growth in children
When Tamara first started as an intern at the mission, she was surprised. “I had this idea in my head that a homeless shelter looks a certain way,” she said. “I thought it was maybe very busy, and it would be hard for clients to get the attention they need. It was very different from…
Linda, 6 Kids, Escape Abusive Household to Start Fresh at the Mission
Linda, 34, came to the United States from the Philippines with her Dad when she was 16. They settled in Northern California where Linda finished high school and then started college. But when her dad and her stepmom found out she had a boyfriend, problems arose in the house. “They wanted me to focus on…
Diane Regains Custody of Her Son After Surprise Birth
It wasn’t until Diane was rushed to the hospital that she found out she was pregnant—and going into labor. “I was drinking and on drugs,” Diane said. “My water broke, but I didn’t know what it was. I was so scared. My blood pressure was off the charts. They told me I was having a…
A Look Back At A Joyous And Successful Year At The Mission
2018 brought a lot of hope to the Mission. We celebrated major milestones in the lives of our guests, including first birthdays and 90th birthdays, and we celebrated students graduating high school and receiving scholarships from our Rotarian partners. The Mission even celebrated its 20th anniversary in the community this past September. We watched the…
Victoria, Two Daughters Find Friends, Care And Compassion
Victoria and her husband moved from Uganda to the United States several years ago for their studies. He went on to join the military, and she went to school for medical assisting. They spent time at Fort Bliss in Texas, where he was stationed, and had a daughter, Darlene, now 6. After he left the…
Living By Faith, Trusting In God
Esmeralda had been working hard at a financial company, when she inquired about a promotion. She knew she was qualified and was eager to move on to running her own branch. “I did everything I had to do to get my own branch, and it didn’t happen, so I started looking for other opportunities and…
Nicole And Her Kids Leave Violence, Instability Behind
Nicole has been a professional caregiver for 11 years, so when her mother was diagnosed with acute leukemia last year, it was only natural that she took on that role for her mom. “I became her nurse,” Nicole said. “She didn’t want to go to a facility. She was diagnosed in February and died in…
Guests Learn Valuable Job Skills In Whole Foods Employment Workshop
Whole Foods staff engaged our guests with a workshop on a recent Saturday morning, proving to be both helpful and fun. The job readiness workshop energized the guests to consider changing some of their employment practices to build better job skills. “I realized that what I need to change immediately at work is my body…
Family Seeks Help After Pregnancy, Complications Swallow Savings
Parrie knew Richard was the one when he dropped everything to be with her in the aftermath of her mother’s debilitating stroke. He drove out to the desert in the middle of the night where Parrie was packing up her mother’s things, and immediately asked her to pray with him. “There was nowhere to sit…
Markita Starts New Career, Finds New Home For Her Family
Moving to California was a difficult decision for Markita, but her mother was sick and needed her help. She decided to go on medical leave from her job and make the move, along with her two children, to care for her mother during her time of need. As her mother recovered, Markita began preparing to…
Mom ‘Forever Grateful’ as She Prepares to Reunify With Her Kids
At the beginning of the year, we committed to building a closer partnership with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). As part of that partnership, we began to house mothers who are in the process of reunifying with their children who previously were not in their custody. Below is an open letter from…
Family Of 5 Once Again Has A Home Of Their Own
For Karina and her husband Antonio, becoming homeless did not happen in a day. It happened over the course of three years. While Karina, a mother of three, was attending school, Antonio worked full-time at a hospital. After a series of financial setbacks, Karina and the kids moved to Palmdale, while Antonio stayed close to…
