Michelle Finds a Family During Time at the Mission
Michelle found more than a refuge from an abusive ex-husband when she and her daughter arrived at the Mission in 2003. “I really needed a family and that’s what I found here,” she said. “The people here are family. The workers are family. It’s too bad we had to move out because I would have […]
Walls of Resentment Replaced by Hope
Caryn was 15 years old when she arrived at the Mission with her mother in 2006. And even though it was a vast improvement over moving from place to place and sometimes spending nights in a car, she didn’t embrace her new life at first. “I was ashamed. I didn’t like the fact I was […]
Couple Hasn’t Forgotten the Help They Received
Trying to support a family of seven on a single fast food manager’s salary finally caught up to Deona and Joseph in 2006. “He was working and I was a stay-at-home mom,” Deona recalled. “There just wasn’t enough money. We tried to make it but we couldn’t. We got evicted.” Deona, Joseph and their five […]
Tyra Escapes Abuse, Finds a New Passion
Tyra’s friends and family were telling her to stick it out in her abusive marriage, and that things would someday get better. But, in her heart, she knew she couldn’t stay. “I knew I couldn’t live like this,” Tyra recalled. “My biggest fear was having my kids grow up in a situation like that, where […]
Second Time a Charm as Trish is Transformed
Trish didn’t realize what she had the first time she stayed at O.U.R. Mission Home. After just six months, she decided she’d had enough. “I met a guy and we thought we were in love, so I moved out so we could be together,” Trish said. “Well, that didn’t work out. We separated and pretty […]
Alafia Refuses to Let Setbacks Define Her
Alafia is a first-generation American who has led a life that refuses to be limited by the obstacles that confront her. From long-term obstacles that test one’s endurance, like her lifelong battle with sickle cell anemia, to the sudden setbacks that often expose one’s true character, such as becoming homeless. Alafia’s parents moved from the […]
For Tonya, Short Stay Brings Long-Term Changes
Tonya’s marriage had just fallen apart. She came to Florida in the summer of 2012 to start a new life for herself and her three teenage children. Thankfully, her job as a resident assistant for disabled adults was with a company that had opportunities in Orlando. With the green light to transfer, it seems like […]
Ron Regains Identity, Has His Life Restored
Ron had paid his debt to society, was released from prison and ready to resume his life. The problem was he had no identification – not a birth certificate, driver’s license, social security card or anything with his name on it – to prove who he was. And without an ID, it was difficult to […]
Audrey Receives Help, Now Assists Others
Audrey thought her life would be better when she left her job at one jewelry store and went to another. But that’s not how things turned out for the mother of two. “I started getting fewer and fewer hours,” Audrey recalled. “Before long I couldn’t come up with the rent and we were about to […]
Celena’s Short Stay Leads to a Better Life
Celena couldn’t take it any more. Her husband, a veteran with post traumatic stress disorder, was drinking heavily and had become very difficult to live with. “He wasn’t handling civilian life very well,” Celena said. “I had two young girls and I just couldn’t keep them in that environment.” Celena was working part time at […]