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Monica’s stress eased after finding La Voz pantry
She and her husband are able to stay on top of bills with this food supplement Monica started visiting the pantry at La Voz Sylmar Seventh-Day Adventist Church about six months ago when her hours were cut at work. She was so worried about how they would make it, how she could continue helping her…
Danna and Bill feel “special” after getting help from Lighthouse pantry
Danna and Bill live near Lighthouse of San Fernando Valley church. They are seniors and retired, and have found themselves falling short financially. Bill also recently underwent heart surgery. A neighbor told them about the food pantry held every Friday at the Lighthouse, and they came to visit. They are so happy to be able…
Covarrubias family has one less worry during these hard times
Juanita and Salvador have three kids and live on one income Salvador and Juanita Covarrubias have three children and were struggling financially, depending on Salvador’s income alone. “It’s hard and many people have lost jobs,” said Juanita. “A few months ago I started to look for a food bank or a place that could provide…
Brent finds his calling
This month, Brent celebrates six years of sobriety Brent started drinking at just 8 years old. At 11, his stepfather kicked him out of the house after Brent reported him for physical abuse. “I went to school and couldn’t always hide the bruises,” Brent said. “One day my teacher asked, and I told them it…
Crystal overcomes mental hurdles, finds peace in the Lord
She has plans for Bible College, motivational speaking, and pastoring Crystal can’t pinpoint exactly when, as a child, she started to experience depression. But it’s been something that has been a part of her memories for as long as she can remember. “I grew up in a really quiet household,” she said. “There were a…
John hears of pantry, finds more than food
“The beginning of my experience with the Kingdom Pantry actually didn’t start at Reseda United Methodist Church at all,” John said. “It began with me meeting a man named Scott at Denny’s here in Reseda. “Scott was clearly friendly and began sharing with me about his church, his love for Jesus and about the Wednesday…
Saul deepens relationship with God, finds love, purpose at Mission
ENGLISH SPANISH SAUL DEEPENS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, FINDS LOVE, PURPOSE AT MISSION February 16, 2024 | Sascha-Eden Preston He’s restoring his bonds with his children Saul had a relatively quiet childhood growing up in San Diego with his siblings and both parents. He graduated high school and then ITT Tech. At 19, he had his…
Sean focuses on transparency, building a lasting foundation at Mission
When Sean was 10, he was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin to help him stay focused in school. It quickly became a part of his everyday routine: wake up, take meds, go to school. It was this developed habit that Sean believes conditioned him to try other substances. “I was so used to taking…
Two years after graduation, Jairo’s family of 10 is settled together
Back in April 2018, Jairo ended up at the Mission—and he wasn’t happy about it. He was coming off of a six-month sentence for burglary charges, and was court-ordered to come to a program after completing the jail time. “When I first got here, I really didn’t like it,” Jairo said. “I didn’t like the…
While to-go meals will replace banquet, we still seek to reach people
Although COVID-19 has caused us to shift our plans a bit as we consider the safety of those we serve, we remain committed to provide Thanksgiving meals during a time when food security is impacting more families in our community than ever before. On Nov. 20th, we will host our Thanksgiving event in a to-go…
After 15 years in and out of jail, Miguel just ‘let God take over’
Miguel’s rock bottom came in August of last year. He had recently been released from jail. “I was on the train tracks,” he said. “I was homeless, stinky, and had no food. I was doing badly and using a lot of drugs. I was losing my mind. I had an awakening. I needed a program.…
Abel looks forward to being there for his 10 grandchildren
Abel grew up in Guadalupe, and moved to Santa Maria at 10. In school, he didn’t have trouble making friends, and enjoyed playing sports. “In high school, I started hanging out with the wrong crowd—you know how that goes,” Abel said. “I dropped out after the 10th grade. “After that, I found the love of…
