“We almost lost everything, but now we’re flourishing.”
Jeffery and Jessica are loving, devoted parents. So when their daughter was born deaf, they committed to doing all they could to make her life better. “When we learned she was a candidate for an implant procedure, we came to California to get her the right specialist,” Jessica says.
They rented a place and Jeffery began looking for work. But their car was totaled in a hit and run accident and their housing fell through. Jeffery couldn’t find a job, and before long, their savings were gone. “Everything fell to pieces at once,” Jessica says. “We were homeless. Then we found out I was pregnant.”
They sent their children to stay with relatives and lived on the streets for seven weeks. “We slept in parks and under staircases,” Jeffery says.
Then they learned about L.A. Family Housing, who placed them and their children in our Casa de Vida. “When we got here, I felt defeated. I’d given up,” Jessica says. “But the staff and other families gave us a lot of moral support.”
“I felt hopeless, but coming here has shown me there are people who care. Now I’m hopeful,” Jeffery says.
They’re thankful they’ll be staying in this safe place when their new baby arrives, and their other children are grateful to be here too. “They’re happy and they get along with everybody,” Jessica says.
Their daughter’s implant procedure has now been scheduled, Jeffery is working and Jessica is studying to become a certified auto mechanic. When they’ve saved enough money, the family will move into their own place.
Jefferey and Jessica are beyond grateful for this second chance in life – and say it’s thanks to the love you’ve shown for neighbors like them. “We almost lost everything. It was terrifying. But God took us off that path and put us in this place,” Jessica says. “Now, we’re flourishing.”