DeeDee Finds Safety and the Road to Success

In 1996, DeeDee found herself fleeing an abusive relationship with nowhere to turn. She took her 5-year-old son and stayed with a few friends while she looked for a more permanent place. “Because I left so quickly, I had almost nothing in my possession,” she said. “I needed a place to establish myself.”

A friend brought her in to fill out an application at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission and the warm welcome she received immediately set the Mission apart. A room had become available the day she arrived, as though God Himself prepared it in His perfect timing for her and her son.

DeeDee was blown away by how the staff would seem to always go the extra mile for her and her son. They found suitable clothing for the both of them, helped DeeDee get the work training she needed and worked with her son’s school to make sure he would be able to ride the bus. And all of these things were free, on top of having three meals a day and a safe place to sleep!

With the basic necessities taken care of, DeeDee had the time and energy to look for a job. Her background was in the medical field and she was hired as a nursing assistant soon after moving into the Mission. That income allowed her to save enough money to move in to a small apartment of her own, nine months after arriving at the Mission.

Today, DeeDee is still working as a Nursing Assistant with Visiting Angels, a company that sends assistance to various nursing and extended care facilities around the Orlando area.  She and her now 22-year-old son live in her condo near the Orlando airport. He recently graduated college and is in the process of starting his career.

Although it’s been over 15 years since she lived here, DeeDee still stays in regular contact with her case manager. That relationship, along with opportunities she found at the Mission, set her on a new trajectory of success.

“I haven’t heard of another program that really loves people the way Jesus would,” she said. “The Mission not only provides you with the resources you need, they also love you and want to help you succeed.”

More than 15 years after leaving the Mission, DeeDee remains grateful for stability she enjoyed here. Other families are finding that stability here as well, thanks to the generous support of people like you. Your gift of $26.82 provides a day of life-changing care for a homeless man, woman or child in Central Florida.