Making A Difference That Matters
Stories that Inspire.
Victories to Celebrate.
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Jenika Recovers From Job Loss And Son’s Early Birth At The Mission
“From the beginning, I don’t think I had much stability,” said Jenika, reflecting on her childhood. “I didn’t have a foundation.” Jenika’s father was a 33-year-old musician who had moved to LA from Michigan when he met Jenika’s mom, 23 and a model. “She had a very horrible upbringing. They were both broken people. They…
Natalie Breaks Homeless Cycle, Joins Air Force
At just 19, Natalie has already been homeless off and on for five years. “I’ve had a different living situation every three months for several years,” she said. Natalie grew up in Santa Monica with her parents and two sisters. After her father lost his job, Natalie’s family became homeless, and she and her sisters…
Cindi Reflects On ‘Life-Changing’ Time At The Mission
A year and a half after leaving the mission, Cindi and her daughters are firmly planted in their new life. “It is such a good program,” she said. “They did so much for us. It was truly life changing.” Cindi grew up in the Valley with her mom and brother. “My dad wasn’t really a…
Richard and Parrie Move on From the Mission
When we last talked to Richard and Parrie in August, they had a lot on their plates. Their new baby Zion was barely 1 month old. The pregnancy had been a blessing to the couple, who didn’t think they could conceive and had started preparing to adopt. It was also a challenging several months, as…
Family Gets A Roof Over Its Head, Plans For The Future
Crystal and Antwon’s family suffered a tragic blow in 2016 when their son was murdered. “That was really hard for us,” Crystal said. “He was 22. Where we’re from in St. Louis, Missouri, it’s gotten pretty dangerous, as far as gun violence goes. So that took a huge toll on us. And from there we…
Cindy gets back on her feet, reconnects with God
Cindy has been on her own since she was 18, and had a daughter, Josie, at 21. When their landlord wanted his rental back, Cindy and Josie, now 11, found themselves with just a month to find a new home. “It just wasn’t enough time to find a place,” Cindy said. “My credit wasn’t good…
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…
