Making A Difference That Matters
Stories that Inspire.
Victories to Celebrate.
Stay connected with all the good work the Mission is doing!
A Place to Catch her Breath
Walking into the mission today, you will be greeted by one of our guests, Martha. Martha is affectionately called, “Grandma” by some of our younger guests. She and her daughter Denise became homeless after Denise was laid off. When the economy took a downward turn, Denise was unable to find a job. After going through…
I Had A Chance After All
In fall 2015, Lori faced a series of unfortunate events. While working as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman, Lori was injured on the job and had to have back surgery. Shortly after the surgery the woman she was caring for died. She found herself living in her car and unable to work. During…
A Mother’s Gratitude
I was referred to the Rescue Mission Alliance San Fernando Valley and that’s where the miracle happened. Instead of feeling like the world was against me, I saw people giving their time unselfishly, bringing food for us, and taking time to just sit and talk. It was amazing to see that; just when I felt…
The Long Walk Home
Ezabela Makarosyan and her three children were one step away from being homeless. Ezabela remembers walking past mothers and small children sleeping on the sidewalks in the San Fernando Valley. Her fear pushed her onward. She called 2-1-1 and was told again and again that there were waiting lists for shelter. She still pressed on,…
Briefly Homeless, Always Hopeful
Nora had a plan; when the lease expired on her apartment, she lined up a new place to live and a roommate to share the costs. Everything was perfect until the roommate backed out in the last minute. Nora and her four young teens were homeless. With no place left to turn, they lived in…
Stranded in West Los Angeles
Today I had a meeting in West Los Angeles, and with the forecast calling for rain, I got up while it was still dark outside and made my way on the 405 to Olympic Boulevard. Since I arrived early I looked for and found a coffee shop where I could stay warm and catch up…
Santa Will Find Us at Our House!
Sheree is 3 and Cyndee is just 1, but they want Santa to know just where to find them on Christmas Eve. Their dad Dave was not sure he could find a place to call home and was shuttling himself and his girls from shelter to shelter until he came to Rescue Mission Alliance San…
What I learned on 6th and Main
Last week I had a meeting at the Mayor’s office in downtown LA first thing in the morning. I arrived early to avoid traffic and decided I’d take a walk into Skid Row. On my way there, I was approached by a man named Miles who asked me for money. He commented on how nice my…
One Mom’s Holiday Wish: Stability
Angie watches her children playing and her calm demeanor is very different from what we saw only weeks ago when she arrived at the family shelter. Being a victim of domestic violence and now a single mom of three has been difficult, shared Angie, “As a single mom, it’s all on you. You’re the ‘daddy’…
Two Weeks Old and Homeless
My wife and I have three sons, ages 16, 13 and 10. I’ll never forget how much time and energy we put into preparing each of their rooms before they were born. Our firstborn had all of the new stuff: the crib, dresser, changing table and the ladybug theme that my wife picked out for…
