She was barely a teenager. But Maritza remembers every detail of the day her stepdad assaulted her like it was yesterday.

As an innocent, young girl, Maritza suffered unspeakable pain at the hands of her stepdad.

The abuse left scars that never fully healed, even after she was eventually taken away and put in the foster care system. When she turned 18, Maritza ended up on the streets, surviving however she could, trying her best to get her life together.

Before she came to Hope Gardens, Maritza had been living in a hotel, but her money was running out and she needed to find somewhere safe for herself...and her children.

She received Andy Bales' contact information and called him on his cell phone for help. He personally drove to get Maritza and her children, and a new chapter in her life began.

In the beautiful surroundings of Hope Gardens, Maritza found the space to heal, find peace, and feel safe at last.

But what she's incredibly thankful for is that her kids are in a secure environment.

"My kids are happy," she says. "They're in a space where nothing can harm them. No one is there to harm them. That's what I always wanted."