The love YOU share gives neighbors like Haley hope for a better life…
“This program saved my life!”
When Haley was only 2, her father passed away, forcing the family to move and her mother into single parenthood. Haley idolized her mom, who worked long hours as an ER nurse, but she also watched as alcoholism took hold in the wake of grief. “Witnessing my mother and siblings fall into the grips of addiction made me promise I’d never let that happen,” she remembers.
Haley was a good student and a hard worker, but she couldn’t escape an unhealthy environment at home. In high school, she finally gave in to the pressure to try drugs. From then on, she was hooked… and addiction began to rule her life.
Haley spiraled into a cycle of substance abuse and homelessness. During a period of sobriety, she gave birth to her son, but relapsed again. Trouble with the law served as a wake-up call: instead of jail, she was allowed to detox at her grandparents’ home, and that’s when she found the Mission. “I didn’t want to lose my son, so I grabbed onto that second chance!”
“I believe God put me here for a reason.”
In the past, Haley hadn’t known God, but through coursework and mentorship at the Mission, she developed a relationship with the Lord and found a new, sustainable way of life. “I’m finally experiencing true acceptance, which is uplifting and empowering,” she shares.
Now sober, confident and radiating joy, Haley is a responsible mother who’s preparing for the next chapter. She enjoys helping around the Mission as she looks toward a career in behavioral health. “Thanks to what I’ve learned here, I feel I can make a difference. My past no longer defines me.”
Haley now has strength for her future because of your heart of compassion for her and other neighbors in need. Because you chose to share God’s love, she has a path forward in life. “This is what true happiness feels like, and I’m so grateful!”
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