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Karen feels ‘strengthened’ by her time at the Mission
Karen carried a lot on her shoulders as a kid growing up in El Salvador. At first, it was her parents and four siblings, but things changed when her parents divorced. “My dad moved to Spain, and after he left, I felt responsible for the care of my younger siblings,” she said. “My mom was…
CLIENTS FIND JOY, PURPOSE IN SERVING AT OUTREACH EVENT
On the last Tuesday of the month, the corner of Edgemont Street and Fountain Avenue in East Hollywood transforms from being a place where those experiencing homelessness can receive a meal to a place where they can experience transformation. Renewed Hope, the Mission’s men’s recovery program, has been partnering with Reality L.A. to provide showers…
NOELLE FINDS STABILITY FOR HER DAUGHTER, AND REGAINS HER FAITH
Noelle had been planning to leave her daughter’s father. The abuse was severe and she had had enough. But the timeline accelerated when he crossed another line. “The last time he put his hands on me, he did it in front of our daughter, Valentina,” Noelle said. “The police were called, and I got a…
PAUL LOOKS TO FULFILL COMMITMENT HE MADE TO GOD LAST YEAR
At 45, Paul is already a proud grandfather to two boys after becoming a father to two girls before he was 18. Paul met his wife in high school—they married after she became pregnant. “I was really young when I had my first daughter,” he said. “I was just a kid having a kid. “I…
ROCKY PEAK VOLUNTEERS CONTINUE TO GIVE WITH THEIR HANDS AND HEARTS
Volunteers from The Church at Rocky Peak came out in full force to support the Mission, lending their hands at the Home Again family shelter and at Renewed Hope properties, home of the men’s Life Recovery Program. At the shelter in Northridge, a group of 30 volunteers cleaned up the patio and playground areas, washed…
JUAN COMMITS TO BREAKING THE CYCLE WITH HIS 8-YEAR-OLD SON
Juan admits that if he didn’t have a son, he may not be doing the hard work on himself that he knows he needs. “He’s like the main motivation for me making changes,” Juan said. “I grew up with an alcoholic dad. It sucks. It definitely shapes you. I don’t want him to grow up…
Mission, S.O.S. Volunteer Finds What He Was ‘Missing’ In Life
It was about two years ago when Ken started to feel like he was missing something. He had a successful career, working at an aerospace company in Chatsworth, and enjoyed kayaking, hiking or motorcycle riding during his downtime. He loves spending time with his niece and nephew, and adores his two Australian Shepherds. “Like most…
Corey Wants ‘A Better Life’ For His 8-Year-Old Son
Corey’s mother had him when he was 15, and he was put up for adoption at a young age. “I was given to my family, and I had a really good upbringing,” he said. “It was a good family atmosphere. I went to good schools. “One thing I didn’t know was any family history. I…
‘Kritter Kim’ Makes Name For Herself Years After Mission Stay
In 2013, Kimra and her husband, along with their daughter and her son from a previous relationship, embarked on a new life, moving from Iowa out to Southern California. But Kimra, a recovering drug addict, noticed her addiction worsen when she came out west. Kimra got divorced the next year, and got into a relationship…
Newly Graduated Jose Calls Renewed Hope Program a ‘Big Blessing’
When Jose was facing charges at the beginning of last year, he asked for a drug program. “I knew if I wasn’t ordered, I wouldn’t go,” he said. “I kept asking myself, ‘If I can do it on my own, why haven’t I?’ My life was spiraling out of control.” Now, a year later, he…
Joel pauses high-pressure life to recover, reconnect
Both sets of Joel’s grandparents struggled with addiction, so he and his sisters were often warned about the danger of drugs and alcohol. “They all had heavy abuse issues,” Joel said. “It skipped my parents’ generation. They told me not to touch it, not to touch anything.” The warnings worked for a while. “I didn’t…
Anita says the Mission makes her ‘feel like I have a family again’
Anita was born in Ghana and spent her life there until tragedy brought her to the United States. Her husband had been living in New York for three years, and brought their two children out to join him in September 2017. Just three months later in December, all three died in an apartment fire. “I…
