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A decade after graduating, Michelle has “never left” the Mission
She’s been working at RMA for over six years Michelle’s parents divorced when she was just 2 years old. Although her mother remarried, it was a “very abusive” relationship. “I grew up in a home surrounded by domestic violence-both verbal and physical,” Michelle shared. “It wasn’t towards me, but to my mother. Eventually, she succumbed…
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…
With Mission’s help, nothing is “out of reach” for Joee
This is the second story in a series chronicling this year’s theme of “Access and Opening Doors.” This month, we look into Joee’s story, recounting his journey to a new life. The way Joee sees it, doors are opening, and his future is bright. “I just got hired as a driver at our thrift store,…
Christina graduates program, puts lifetimeof drinking behind her
She’s focusing on helping others Christina, 53, struggled with alcoholism most of her life, but it wasn’t until her husband passed away from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that her life truly began to spiral. “I was his caretaker. He passed away right in front of me. It was a battle,” Christina said. “I watched him completely deteriorate.…
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…
Jason “washes” his old life away, embraces the new
He was baptized at the Mission When Jason was in junior high, his mother and him were kicked out of their apartment. They lived in his mother’s car for years. “My childhood, I didn’t really get to see,” Jason said. “I grew up pretty quick bouncing around from friend’s house to friend’s house, trying to…
Family flees persecution, finds safety, support at Mission
They feel like they’re among family Living in fear of persecution was not the life Perla and Byron wanted for themselves or for their children. Facing deadly threats, the family was forced to flee to escape the violence and unrest in their home country. When they arrived in Los Angeles, Perla and Byron were left…
Matthew is ‘hopeful’ as he graduates program this month
Matthew has witnessed the positive impact of addiction recovery firsthand. “My mom is in recovery-she has 18 years,” he said. “When she first got clean, she and my dad got back together. They’ve been happy ever since.” Matthew grew up in Hesperia, going to church and playing music. “I played through elementary school, high school…
Alvina seeks help processing grief, getting back on her feet
Her husband died last year suddenly Alvina and her husband met at work in 2009, where Alvina worked on turbo generators and Leon worked on motors in the same field. They fell in love, married, and moved to Needles to be closer to his parents who were aging and needed help. The first four years…
Lois returns to Mission after two years, leaves drinking behind
She’s doing things differently this time In May 2022, Lois spent 90 days at the Mission before leaving. “In the beginning, I didn’t know what to expect. I was like a deer in headlights. … I decided to leave and go back to what I knew, back to doing what I was doing before.” Over…
