Stories that Inspire.
Victories to Celebrate.
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Mission helps Juan find his purpose, relearn his worth
Growing up in Guadalupe, CA, Juan was surrounded by a loving family and a tight-knit community. His childhood was filled with sports, school, and days spent at the beach. With parents from Mexico, he was raised with strong values and a deep sense of community. However, despite his supportive upbringing, life took an unexpected turn.…
Noeli discovers it’s “never too late” while at Mission
Due to an abusive upbringing, Noeli began using heroin at 16. At 17, after a heartbreaking stillbirth, drugs became her primary coping mechanism. In 2014, Noeli went to prison for five years for armed robbery. Six months after release, she went back to prison for two years for grand theft auto. By late 2021, Noeli…
After 10 years of addiction, Victor leaves drugs behind
He’s forging a new path At 2 years old, Victor’s parents divorced. His mother raised Victor and his two older brothers by herself, but due to work, often left them with a babysitter. “I didn’t really have a relationship with my mom growing up. It seemed I saw the babysitter more than I did my…
Krystal vows to “get the most” out of program
She’s beginning to address her trauma Most of Krystal’s adolescence went unsupervised. Her mother spent her days drinking at the casino, leaving Krystal alone for long stretches of time. “My mom didn’t supervise me very much,” Krystal said. “I was lonely. She wasn’t there, at home, so I did whatever I wanted.” Krystal began hanging…
After a lifetime of addiction, Adrian seeks help
He hopes to reconnect with family Adrian knows all about devastating loss. In 2011, his son was murdered in front of his aunt’s home. “It was a drive-by shooting, but my son wasn’t a part of it, wasn’t the intended target. Some of his friends were shot, but they all survived. I was so angry…
Jessica overcomes shame, finds love, acceptance in program
She’s reconnecting with her family “It’s different now – knowing I’m loved, accepted, and appreciated no matter what. I think a lot of us hide behind ourselves, or our addictions, or our shame. It felt shameful, having to admit I was drinking too much. Especially for me, who grew up in the church.” Jessica was…
Crystal overcomes isolation, embraces community of women
After witnessing multiple family members struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, Crystal was “very cautious about using drugs. I was never going to,” she said. At 19, Crystal moved out of the house she shared with her sister as partying, drinking, and drug use became the norm. At 20, Crystal started taking college prerequisite classes…
Vicente is learning about God’s grace, finds ‘family’ while in program
Vicente started drinking alcohol at age 11 during family celebrations. “There was always a lot of kids around, and they (adults) wouldn’t always be paying attention, so we’d try whatever was around. Then when I was about 12, I started sneaking shots.” Vicente, a star athlete in high school, said that sports originally kept him…
Director’s Note: Celebrating 1 year of women’s lives changed
We will continue to grow these services with your help Next month will mark a year since Rescue Mission Alliance Central Coast opened our women’s program. The program was designed for women experiencing homelessness and addiction, and those escaping domestic violence and sex trafficking. For me, this journey has been a constant reminder of how…
Rogelio finds hope and a “new beginning” while in program
He is happy to change his ways and embark on a new life “Ten years is a long time,” Rogelio recalled, releasing a long breath. “For the last crime I did, they wanted to send me away to prison for a long time. Ten years. The longest I had been in prison before is 35…
Desiree can’t quench her ‘hunger and thirst for Christ’
Desiree struggles to describe her difficult childhood. “It was very … dark. It was sporadic as far as stability. It was a lot of bouncing around to friends and family.” Her mom, who had her at 16, was a heroin addict and in and out of prison. “She wasn’t really present for most of my…
Joshua is baptized, finds acceptance while at Mission
Joshua recalled having an “unstable” childhood. After the deaths of both his grandparents in quick succession, Joshua, his mother, and two younger siblings found themselves living in their van and sleeping in motels. At 6 years old, Joshua tried methamphetamines. By middle school, Joshua was regularly smoking meth, getting into fights, and skipping school. In…
