Nicole thanks YOU for her new chance at life!
When I was pregnant with my third child, I lived in an abandoned house I shared with others who, like me, were caught up in a devastating addiction— but I was a survivor.
I survived my mother’s murder when I was 4. I survived years of abuse from both my father and my sister. I survived years of living on the streets as a young teenager.
All the trauma I survived, though, turned me into a mean and controlling bully. Wherever I went, I ran the show and I got what I wanted—but it was an ugly show, and I didn’t want to live like that anymore.
So when my water broke and the ambulance came to take me to the hospital, I was ready to change. I had already lost my first two children, who were taken from me because of my addiction. I couldn’t bear losing another.
In November 2021, after I gave birth to my precious daughter, Nina, I went into treatment for my addiction. After I got clean and sober, I came straight to Hope Gardens in April. By that time, I had only seen Nina twice. I needed to prove to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) that I would be a good mother
before I got her back.
Spiritually, I didn’t have much hope. When people asked me to pray, I thought, pray for what? I felt worthless and that I was one of God’s jokes.
“That’s why, this Mother’s Day, I’m so grateful for donors like YOU.
When no one believed in me, YOU did.”
Then I attended my second chapel here. One of the case managers shared her story with us, a story very similar to mine. When she shared Exodus 14:14— “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still”—it was God speaking to me.
No one had ever fought for me. No one had ever believed in me. I felt God saying, “You don’t have to fight anymore. Put your dukes down. You don’t have to control everything.”
That’s when I surrendered everything to God, and that’s when God started working in my life. On Mother’s Day, I got to visit my daughter for the first time since November. Then in September, I went back to court to see if DCFS would let me have custody. God reminded me that He was fighting for me.
In court, I felt Jesus beside me—I could feel His presence. Then I heard the lawyer say: “We’re fully prepared to give the baby back to you today.”
God continues to work in my life even today. When I’m with Jesus, I feel Him holding me in a way I’ve never been held before. I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be, and so is my daughter. Hope Gardens is where I found Jesus. Hope Gardens is where I found the home I never had.
That’s why, this Mother’s Day, I’m so grateful for donors like you. When no one believed in me, you did. You believed in me enough to make this all possible. You led me and my daughter home.
The number of people devastated by homelessness in Los Angeles is an unthinkable tragedy. But those suffering the most are mothers and children.
No woman or child deserves to live in fear on these streets. Thanks to caring people like you, thousands of these precious souls have found new hope and transformed lives at Union Rescue Mission, Hope Gardens, and Angeles House. Your compassion gives them the hope and courage they need to give life another try.
Every gift, large and small, is crucial to help struggling men, women, and children get back on their feet. Your generous gift of $25, $50, $100 or more will help provide food, beds, shelter—and give more people the real long-term help they need to rebuild their lives.
So please send the most generous gift you can today… and don’t forget to sign and return the special enclosed Mother’s Day card, along with your gift, to encourage a young Mother!
This month, we celebrate the one-year anniversary of Angeles House, Union Rescue Mission’s three-story facility where families experiencing homelessness, or are on the verge of homelessness, can find hope, healing, and crucial life- hanging services to help them find their way home.
Thank you for supporting mothers, fathers, and children at Angeles House!
Your Gifts at Work at Angeles House (April-October 2022)
• Families who have found permanent housing? 12
• Parents who have obtained employment? 40
• Number of meals served at Angeles House? 54,124
• Average stay? 6 months per family
• Hours of tutoring or after school programs? 96 hours of tutoring
• Wellness & mental health counseling? 20 sessions
Cynthia Jimenez, the Executive Program Director at Angeles House, reflects on the extraordinary difference your support makes in these families’ lives.
“Many of the families here have vehicles and jobs, but they don’t have the financial stability to maintain housing. Your support keeps them from falling into homelessness and gives them the opportunity to find new employment, save money, and get back on their feet.
Homelessness puts a lot of stress on families. You’re giving them the chance to
keep their family intact and to strengthen their bonds with one another in peace. For many, it’s their chance to be a real family again.
Providing safety is huge. This is the first time they don’t have to worry where they’re going to eat or sleep! It’s often their first chance to take stock of what they’ve been through, to face the trauma and get the
emotional support they need. That includes professional therapy and spiritual support, too.
Currently, your support is helping 78 families and 163 children get back on their feet, healthy and whole. By last December, you helped 12 Angeles House families move to permanent housing, and six more
moved to transitional housing.” —Cynthia Jimenez
As we celebrate the first anniversary of Angeles House, I can’t help but think of caring, faithful friends like you who made it possible. Thanks to your support, families experiencing Bhomelessness and working families facing the
fear of falling into homelessness have someplace to go without coming downtown to Skid Row.
We knew this facility was critical. We thought we’d fill up in six months or so. But we were already at capacity after two months.
I think my favorite memories are of the kids, running freely down the halls, their joy overflowing, thrilled to have a safe home. Or celebrating Christmas in July, with children and their families coming and going, enjoying snow,
a Christmas festival, and a carnival—something they will never forget.
I can’t tell you how much it means to these families to get a fresh start, to gain stability, and permanent housing. You’re giving them safety, emotional and spiritual support, services to find jobs and housing. You’re helping strengthen these families for a lifetime. My prayer is that you would come and see the miracle you’ve accomplished here for yourself.
On behalf of all these families, God bless you!
Blessings,
Rev. Andy Bales, CEO
To read Andy’s blog, please visit revandysblog.com
It’s extremely important to have an up-to-date will or trust for your family’s sake and to ensure your desires are fulfilled at the end of your life. A will or trust helps us be a faithful steward of all that God has entrusted with us and pass along our values to the next generation. Your decision to include Union Rescue Mission in your will or trust will leave a legacy of hope and restoration for generations of families experiencing homelessness.
