Making A Difference That Matters
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Family Gets Back On Its Feet, Finds Housing After Mission Stay
Janeth and Sergio lived together with their kids—her 13-year-old and his 7- and 11-year-olds—in Canoga Park. Sergio worked as an electrician and Janeth held down both a retail and restaurant job. But a freak incident led to a major derailment of their living situation. Sergio’s daughter, who was 10 at the time, told her dad…
Y’vonne Says Mission Has Been ‘A Blessing’ For Her Family
Y’vonne has a good job and despite having five children to look after, has been able to provide for her family. It was hard for her to ask for help when her situation turned dire, but she’s now glad she did. “I was raised in the city of San Fernando by a single father—an alcoholic…
Suzette And Her Daughters Settle In After Partner’s Death
Suzette and her partner lived in a two-bedroom apartment with their two daughters. But when the couple separated, Suzette was forced to downsize, hoping her salary as an accounting assistant would be adequate. “It was more affordable, but it was still hard to maintain the rent on my own,” she said. “I fell behind on…
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…
