Success Stories | Midnight Mission

Shawn O’Neal was born in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and raised in Sacramento, CA. He moved to Florida to live with his uncle in 2010 until his uncle kicked him out. He was homeless in Florida until his mom gave him a bus ticket back to California. He stopped in Los Angeles on his way back to Sacramento and stayed.

Shawn has always been interested in art culture and wanted to live in a city environment. He moved to several different places throughout LA and ended up living in Skid Row. He was addicted to hard drugs and became comfortable in the drug scene.

Shawn realized he needed a change. When he asked about resources, he heard about The Midnight Mission. He was intimidated by the outside of TMM in Skid, but his mind changed when he saw how clean and structured TMM was on the inside. It took Shawn three times at TMM to get used to being in an environment where people genuinely cared and wanted to help him. When he accepted the help given, he was on the road to recovery.

In addition to learning how to stay sober, Shawn acquired many life skills through the Healthy Living Program. He learned how to budget money and pay his bills on time. TMM gave Shawn the ability to change his life, and he advocates for others to come to TMM for a change in their lives.

After graduating from TMM, Shawn found his own apartment. He enjoys having a space of his own to relax after a long day’s work. He aspires to go to a barber college and then to a city college with an open mind for educational goals. Shawn is grateful TMM has opened the world for him to pursue many options with sober confidence.

Lorena’s Story – in her own words

My name is Lorena Reyes, and I am a participant in the HomeLight Family Living program. I was in a toxic relationship, getting beat up by my first kid’s dad. Once, he beat me up so badly I couldn’t see because he punched me in my eyes. After that incident, I ran to my mom’s house with my kids. I was sad and depressed and knew I could not care for my kids, so I told my mom to take care of them. I started using drugs, and a case was opened with the Department of Children’s Services, and I lost custody of my kids.

I became addicted to meth and lost everything: my kids, family, self-esteem, and hope. I was missing my children, and one day I woke up and knew it was time to get sober. I wanted to be the mom my kids needed and deserved, but I needed to take care of myself first. I went to rehab, not knowing I was pregnant again. I found out when I went to the hospital thinking I had COVID, but I found out I was four months pregnant. I entered a residential treatment program for three months. I completed and then went to a recovery bridge program called SABINA HOUSE, a program of Social Model Recovery; it was an awesome program. I loved it and completed all the outpatient work.

Upon completing the program, I was homeless, having nowhere to go. I had the baby with me and was working towards getting my kids out of foster care. I needed a home to reunite with my children and get back custody.

I called HomeLight, did an initial interview with Gladys, then interviewed with HomeLight Director Ricardo Rosales. Ricardo called my social worker at DCFS to verify that I was on track and motivated to get my kids back and work toward self-sufficiency. Ricardo asked me if I was ready to commit to changing my circumstances. I asked him to give me a chance to prove myself and change my life and my children’s lives.

I entered the program and immediately started working on myself and getting my children back. I continued with my recovery work and with mental health therapy. I am happy to report that on January 26, 2023, The Department of Children Services closed jurisdiction over my family, and my kids were returned to me. Building my self-esteem has been so important to me. Issues like not having graduated from high school and the abusers in my life holding power over me because I was not a legal resident have always kept me down.

I have taken advantage of HomeLight’s program. I graduated and got my GED on March 15, 2023. I am working on my immigration status, and I’m in the process of getting my U visa given to victims of domestic violence. I completed my 1-year outpatient program. I work part-time, and I am saving money and working on getting my driver’s license. I recently signed a contract with The Whole Child, a program that provides rapid housing. I will soon secure a place I can call home and be the leader my family needs.

I’m happy and grateful for everything HomeLight has done for me and my kids, including Ricardo Rosales, my case manager Gladys, Carmen, and Ms. Angie.

Stephanie’s Story – in her own words

My name is Stephanie, and I was a participant at HomeLight Family Living. I just transitioned successfully into my own apartment last month. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who has walked by my side along my path. I know it must not have been easy because I was so broken when I got to HomeLight. I come from a really dark background, experiencing domestic violence, homelessness, and drug abuse.

I found myself constantly needing the help of others because I couldn’t help get my life together. I couldn’t hold a job, didn’t have money to feed myself, and was always crashing on someone’s couch or motel room. It wasn’t long after having my first baby that I began to use again. At that time, I was staying at home with my parents, and I felt like postpartum depression really got the best of me, and at that time, I didn’t know how else to cope with it other than picking up and using. I had been using on and off since 2012. Because of my uncontrollable behavior when under the influence, I was kicked out of my house. I became pregnant again. I knew at that point I couldn’t keep living my life as I was. So, I decided to get into a recovery program to help teach me a routine and learn about my disease. I had moved into a house with 14 other mothers and their children, which was very challenging for me.

After having my son, I wasn’t working and was barely getting by with the little bit that I had. That’s when I was speaking to a mentor of mine, and she mentioned the HomeLight Family Living program and how they help families in need. I was skeptical of this at first because I was not too comfortable living so far away from my family, but I didn’t have any other option but to trust that God was giving me this opportunity to help me get back on my feet.

Within a week of calling the office, I heard back from them and we did a phone interview, which turned into an in-person interview. I was very nervous when I came to the office to meet Ricardo Rosales, HomeLight Family Living’s Director. In the back of my mind, I knew how much I needed this opportunity. And once he told me they would allow me to move in, I was filled with emotion. All I could do was look at my son, who was two months at that time and feel so blessed that I could finally become the responsible mother he needed me to be. My main goal was to get healthy and stable so I could bring my other son back home, who was living with my mom. I knew I had to be strong and stay consistent to be the best person I needed to be.

HomeLight gave me immediate stability as I now had a safe place to live and could focus on the long-term goals they helped me put together. I started attending mental health services to help me deal with my trauma from domestic violence. Childcare services were provided for my son, so I had time to look for work and focus on my schoolwork. I found a good sponsor to help me with my recovery daily. The case management team worked very closely with me to help me learn how to save and be responsible with my finances. I also entered a job development program that helped me find employment in a mental health clinic, which I have been with for almost a year now. Once my mom began to see that I was living a stable life, we began to work on reunifying our relationship of mother and daughter, which has also allowed me to have quality time with my oldest son.

I was able to leave the program with a full-time job that I really liked, saved enough money to buy a car, and still have savings of $7, 000.00. I worked hard to become independent and self-sufficient. Now that I live in my own apartment and close to my family, I couldn’t be more at peace with all my accomplishments because of HomeLight. I have realized that homelessness and single parenting are issues and struggles in our communities. Not everybody has the same opportunity that I was blessed with. The entire program has inspired me to offer a helping hand to anyone struggling on their own and with their children. Today I am a survivor, but most of all, I am where I really wanted to be, being the best mom I can be and raising my kids so that they can have a great’s life

Thank you to HomeLight and all the sponsors supporting this program for being a part of my healing process. For that, I am forever grateful.

Torrey grew up in Atlanta, GA, the youngest of four children. When he was seven years old, his parents got divorced. He had to go back and forth between the two homes. Torrey found stability in sports, going to the Boys Club and the YMCA.

When Torrey was 17 years old, he had his first drink, which changed his life. Alcohol gave him great confidence, and he would drink whenever he could. Drinking led to marijuana, then crack cocaine. The drugs took Torrey over the edge, and he was spiraling out of control.

Torrey met a girl in Atlanta, and they had a child together. She moved back to her home in New York, and Torrey followed her there. He wanted to be a good father to his child, but alcohol and drugs took over, and he could not be the father he wanted to be. He was unstable and unable to hold a job for very long.

Torrey moved back to Atlanta, but by this time, everyone knew he had a substance abuse problem. He decided to move to a small town in Alabama to change scenery, thinking it would be his chance for a new beginning. He got a job as a waiter, but he did not have the power to stop his addiction. He started to steal, and he was fired.

Torrey moved to Colorado and Texas, trying to escape his addiction, but he couldn’t move away from himself. Every place he moved, he brought himself and his destructive behaviors. He started going to prison, and each time would wonder why he kept doing the things he didn’t want to do.

Leaving prison for the last time, Torrey decided to go to 12-step meetings. He wanted to live a different life. The people he heard at the meetings planted the seed of recovery in him. Deep down, he knew he wanted to be sober and help people, but he wasn’t willing to get sober yet.

Torrey decided a fresh start in a new town with his new knowledge was what he needed. He had a sister who lived in San Diego. When he called her to say he wanted to come, he detected from the tone of her voice that she would not be happy about him moving to San Diego.

After talking with friends, Torrey looked for a recovery program in Los Angeles and found The Midnight Mission. As Torrey stepped off the Greyhound, he thought he would get one last pack of cigarettes and beer. After three attempts, Torrey was unable to get either. He said God was doing for him what he could not do for himself.

When Torrey got to The Midnight Mission, it was late. He slept in the Courtyard for the night and waited for a case worker in the morning. It was the beginning of a new life. He entered TMM’s Recovery Program and learned to change his behaviors for a different lifestyle. Torrey got a 12-step mentor to help him work through the steps of recovery. He likes the person he is becoming through the steps.

Torrey aspires to be a motivational speaker. He wants to be of service wherever he can to help his fellows. He is determined to have a bright future by doing the next best thing.

From the Sidewalk to Sobriety

Peter grew up in a small town in upstate New York. A friend of his moved to Las Vegas, NV, and he decided to move west. He wore out his welcome at his friend’s house and became homeless. Peter was living behind the Golden Nugget Casino on Freemont Street when he met a man from Catholic Family Services who offered to take him to Los Angeles. The man said there were more resources to help people experiencing homelessness there.

When he arrived in LA, Peter stayed at the Weingart Center for two weeks; then, he was back out on the streets. He stayed on either Pico Boulevard or 6th Street. Peter sat on the sidewalk across the street from The Midnight Mission every day, watching people go in and get help. He knew he could find help in the programs at TMM, but he knew he would have to stop drinking. But, he was scared and wasn’t ready to stop. He even stayed in TMM’s Safe Sleep in our courtyard for a few nights. For six months, he sat watching until one cold and rainy winter day; he was ready to get sober and change his life.

Peter talked to a woman at the front desk, and she told him to come back at 5 am the following day, and there would be an open bed for him. Peter summoned all the courage he had to come back and wait on the bench in the courtyard to begin his new life. He jumped into the Recovery Program, getting a job in the warehouse and helping on the loading dock.

Peter fondly remembers attending many recovery meetings and spending weekends playing softball in Clancy’s backyard. He made many connections and learned a lot about how to live a sober life. Despite finding a new way of life in LA, Peter wanted to move home to NY to show his family how well he was doing.

Peter moved back to NY and did not have the same support he had at TMM. He ended up relapsing but found his way back to recovery. He had never forgotten what he learned while in Los Angeles. Peter celebrated eight years of sobriety in April of 2022. He has a life he never imagined would be possible while living on the streets in LA. Peter has a house to call his own, is married, and has a dog. He works on the Recovery Campus in NY, sharing his experience, strength, and hope with people seeking sobriety. He not only wants to help them, but he is uniquely qualified to do so because he has been there and he knows how they feel.

Peter wanted to offer encouragement to anyone who is thinking about changing their lives. He said not to let fear control you; don’t be afraid to change. He realized the sidewalk was not the last stop in his life; it was just a bridge to a big, beautiful life in recovery.

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Darrell’s childhood is filled with sweet memories of his grandmother. He lived with her as a young child, and she provided everything he needed. He lived in a nice house in a good neighborhood. He got straight A’s in school and looked forward to a bright future.Darrell’s world came crashing down when his grandmother died. He had to move in with his parents, who were in active addiction. He stopped going to school, and his grades plummeted. He was 15 when he took his first drink, leading him down the same road of addiction his parents had walked.

Darrell spent his young adult years in and out of prison. Out on parole, he had his first taste of recovery meetings. Darrell would attend 12-step meetings at The Midnight Mission, even choosing one of TMM’s alumni as his sponsor. Darrell said he was doing the bare minimum for his recovery, not applying all the principles he had learned to his life.

After five months, Darrell left TMM without completing the Healthy Living Program. His addiction took over his life. He had no place to live and found himself in sordid places. He was broken. One day, crying in the shower, Darrell asked God to help him. He cried out to have a permanent separation from drugs and alcohol.

Darrell came back to The Midnight Mission, determined to do things differently. He went to 12-step meetings five days a week, with a service commitment at two of the meetings. Darrell volunteered on the back dock of TMM. He started to feel better about himself, and he began to think he could leave TMM. Darrell said it was a pivotal point for him, and it took one comment from the Director of Programs Matt Scharf to change his mind. Matt told him to stick around to get recovery. Darrell decided to stay.

Darrell began his day with the set-aside prayer, asking God to help him set aside everything he thinks he knows for a new experience. He worked with a sponsor to uncover, discover, and discard everything keeping him from living his fullest potential. He enjoyed attending recovery conferences and making connections with like-minded people.

After 13 months, Darrell graduated from the Healthy Living Program. He received full-time employment at TMM. He has his own apartment and is deeply grateful to TMM for helping him with the deposit and providing furnishings. Darrell has found a life of self-sufficiency, paying his own way, contributing to society, and giving back to his fellow man.

When Ben Shirley came to The Midnight Mission in May 2011, he didn’t know where he was going or how he got there. His friends had tired of watching him die, so they picked him up, told him to say goodbye to all his belongings, and dropped him off at The Midnight Mission. He had no idea that action would change his life and the lives of those around him forever.

TMM’s healthy living program is based on a social model, meaning you must get up and ‘go to work.’ Ben’s first work therapy assignment was washing dishes, where, soaking wet from tears and dirty dishwater, he found himself consumed with rage at where his life had ended up. Once a bass player in a hard rock band with a record deal playing to sold-out stadiums with some of the biggest names, he felt his life was officially over. Then, TMM’s executive chef allowed him to organize the dry goods stock room, an assignment he would take personally. He found purpose in the responsibility and ran with it. He had surrendered to the process and, in doing so, started down a path that would change him and introduce him to a life beyond his wildest dreams.

When Superior Court Judge Craig Mitchell started the Skid Row Running Club, Ben joined to lose weight. He had run marathons before, but that seemed like a lifetime ago. On the first run, Ben got a mile out, threw up, and started crying again. But once the club had begun to gain momentum and Ben got some shoes that fit, he began to run with a passion he had not felt in a long time, a passion that he started to bring into the rest of his new life. To date, he has completed 12 marathons worldwide.

In 2013, Ben’s music would suddenly transform from the stage to the classroom, from playing to composing. He was accepted to the San Francisco Music Conservatory, where he learned that his music had a voice to speak to people’s hearts.

In 2017, Ben’s life took another turn when he got married. He also had the extraordinary opportunity to have his story told in the award-winning documentary Skid Row Marathon. Skid Row Marathon follows the Skid Row Running Club members as they climb out of homelessness and recover from addiction. As the film has gained acclaim, Ben spoke at screenings, film festivals, and on various panels. He was able to share his experience, strength, and hope across the globe from Berlin to Santa Barbara. Today, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Skid Row Running Club.

Ben remained active in the Skid Row community through his work with Street Symphony. As the first Composition Fellow for Street Symphony, Ben was the Co-Composer in Residence, Teaching Artist, and Director of Community Engagement. Ben also co-orchestrated composer Kim Planert’s soundtrack to Skid Row Marathon and has been commissioned for original music by numerous organizations and individuals. He also provided sound design for an independent film and composed for a Canadian film.

In 2020, Ben and his wife moved to Ohio to help care for her father. Ben has become involved in the Licking County Taskforce for Homelessness, using his experience in Los Angeles to help the people in Ohio make decisions to help the homeless community there.

In Ben’s words: “The Midnight Mission gave me the opportunity to make decisions but also to fall on my face. Failure was always an option, but the opportunity to succeed was greater.” In much the same way his running has evolved, so has his music. He used to be all about the money; now, he is ok just being a musician. “I want to learn today; I didn’t want that before. Maybe I’ll be a teacher.”

Ben is proof that it is never too late to create a new beginning. We are so proud of all that Ben has done, and we look forward to his continuing success.

Jon Lewis grew up in Long Beach. For twenty years, he was a bartender and bar manager. Jon maintained his job and lifestyle while drinking and smoking marijuana until he lost the ability to stop. Jon lost his job, and received unemployment. Unemployment enabled him to drink all day and night; drinking controlled him.

Jon could not pay his rent because he spent all his money on alcohol, and eventually, he lost his apartment. Jon decided to move into his 1969 Volkswagen. He saw losing his apartment as freedom; it gave him less responsibility. He would go to his mom’s house to shower and his family would talk to him about his drinking but he did not think he was doing anything wrong.

Jon started to park his Volkswagen at Chavez Park in Long Beach. He got to know the people living in the park, and they drank as he drank. Jon made friends with a drug dealer, and they would hang out together even though Jon did not do drugs. One afternoon, a guy struck Jon so hard that he saw stars. At that moment, Jon had a moment of clarity. He saw the way he was living would lead to his death, and he asked God to help him.

He drove back to his mom’s house. Jon’s sister had decades of sobriety, and when they called her to say he needed help, she said she had been waiting for Jon to call her. Jon’s sister gave him the phone number of one of her sober friends, a graduate of The Midnight Mission. When Jon called him, he told him to meet him at 6 am at the corner of 6th and San Pedro Streets. Jon’s mom put him on the blue line, and as he got off the train, fear overtook him as he walked through Skid Row. He met his sister’s friend in the courtyard of TMM on February 8, 2016. Jon has not looked back since that day.

Jon was put into detox, and as his head cleared, he was ready to do anything to get sober. He met with TMM advocates and was willing to take all their suggestions. He was given a job at the front desk in the dormitory, and TMM paid for Jon to get his GED. TMM took him to the doctor for a thorough check-up and found his liver had high signs of harmful enzymes. Six months into living a sober life, his liver had healed and improved.

Jon started going to 12-step meetings every day. He attended all the advocate classes and even had a favorite advocate, Eli Handy. Jon continued to put one foot in front of another. Since he had a driver’s license, he became TMM van’s driver taking other program participants to meetings.

Because of Jon’s affirmative actions, he was asked to work with Clancy’s assistant. He loved being of service in the administrative office of TMM. He was honored to do any task asked of him.

After six months in the Healthy Living Program, Jon sent out resumes to get a job outside TMM. His first job was at UPS. His sister let him make payments on a hand-me-down car so he could get back and forth to work. Steadily, Jon’s life got better.

He graduated from the program in 2017. His family was so proud of him at graduation, then again when he celebrated his first sobriety anniversary. Jon moved into the 3rd-floor transitional apartments and continued to save his money as he worked and went to 12-step meetings. Jon was able to move from the apartment to transitional housing on 54th and Vermont.

Jon got a job in Long Beach and returned to his hometown to help take care of his mom, who had been sick. He spent three years of quality time caring for his mom before she died.

Today, Jon participates in regular 12-step meetings, works for a friend in an alternative medical business and owns a new car. He enjoys activities he loved as a child: bodyboarding, kayaking, and going to the beach.

Jon praises and thanks TMM. He felt soulless before coming to TMM, and TMM helped him find his soul. Since his first day at TMM, he has not looked back. He keeps in touch with other graduates from TMM. Jon recommends those coming into the program go to meetings, get a sponsor, and follow the suggestions TMM gives them so they may have a new life.

In the early 2000s, Edward Coleman was consumed with the dark life in Skid Row. He lived on the streets for over seven years, in and out of the missions in Downtown Los Angeles. He could never stay in or finish any program that offered him help.

Edward first came to The Midnight Mission because he was hungry. He kept coming back because TMM had the best food in Skid Row, and he could safely sleep in the courtyard at night. While walking one day, he saw an alumnus of TMM who encouraged him to take advantage of programs TMM offered. Edward was at a point of desperation and was willing to enter The Midnight Mission’s Healthy Living Program.

Part of the Healthy Living Program was to attend 12-step recovery meetings. Edward says these meetings were a turning point for him. For the first time, he wanted to finish a program. He wanted to have a different life. The Midnight Mission provided Edward with life skills and new opportunities. One of his fondest memories was attending his first basketball game. He was selected to go to a LA Clippers game and got to sit 20 feet from the game floor.

Edward was given a job at The Midnight Mission that changed the course of his life. He was assigned as the assistant to TMM Managing Director Clancy Ismislund. When he put on a shirt and tie for his new position, he knew he wanted to become a professional. He would answer phones and read computer books in his spare time.

Edward learned a lot from TMM, but he experienced a relapse when he left. The life skills he was taught at TMM came back to him, and he found sobriety again. He would encourage anyone trying to get sober to hold on and not pick up the first drink.

Edward moved back to Lancaster and pursued his dream of becoming a professional. His family supported his plan, even getting him an office with a desk. In 2016, he enrolled at Antelope Valley College for a degree in network administration. He is currently back in school to get his business administration degree. Edward carries a 3.0 GPA, is on the dean’s list, and was recently awarded a scholarship from Vallarta Supermarkets and the Gonzalez Family Foundation Schlolarship Endowment. When he completes two more semesters, he will enroll at UC Berkely. Edward aspires to have educational degrees to show future employers he is a changed man. Edward encourages others to continue to learn because it will pave the way for the future.

Edward credits the dramatic change in his life to The Midnight Mission. TMM showed him that he didn’t have to be the stereotype; he did not have to remain homeless and addicted to drugs on Skid Row. TMM showed Edward how to access the potential he always had, and today he is living proof that lives can be transformed when someone takes the time to believe in another. He wants anyone who comes into TMM to stay until the miracle happens for them.

Angela de Los Santos never imagined she would end up homeless. She and her six kids had their own place, but the conditions were deplorable. The kitchen ceiling was missing for months, and mice and cockroaches were coming into her home. Angela went to court thinking the judge would make her landlord fix everything and reimburse Angela for repairs she had made on her own. The judge told Angela that her landlord was a poor little old lady, and Angela needed to pay her the back rent. He advised the landlord that she could fix the apartment when she could.

Angela took her back rent to stay at a motel in Hollywood, but the money ran out in less than a month. She would take her kids to school, where they were able to eat breakfast and lunch. Angela would work to provide another night in the motel room. She did not make enough tips to afford permanent housing, so Angela provided her children with whatever she could from day to day.

On the route to the children’s school, she would see someone from PATH outreach. Every day, the outreach worker would ask her if she was ready to get help and come to The Midnight Mission Family Living Program. Angela had images in her head of what a mission looked like: full of alcoholic men, and she wanted no part of it. Until one day, right before Christmas, she was willing to see what The Midnight Mission (TMM) had to offer. Angela remembers being adopted by an agency for Christmas. She was overwhelmed to tears when someone from the agency asked if she could pray with her.

Angela and her children were finally on the road to recovery from homelessness. Angela knew she needed an education. She heard of other women going to a school in South Bay. Although she was not enrolled, she was determined to get an education. Angela slipped into the back of the class to learn everything she could. The teacher found out she was not on the roster, but she was so impressed with Angela’s determination, she found a sponsor to pay for her education.

She went from not knowing how to turn on a computer to be proficient in Microsoft Office. She began working, saving enough money to buy and car and move into her own apartment with her children. AmeriCorp asked Angela to be a part of a pilot program in Skid Row. She became a street-based outreach connector. She would reach out to people in the homeless community and connect them with critical services they might need to make a fresh start.

Through AmeriCorp, Angela was able to transform her ideas and passion into service. She grew while working with a team with the same goals and visions to help people experiencing homelessness. She discovered more than one right way to complete a task, and the essential quality of working together was unity.

In 2006, after opening Christmas gifts with her family, Angela was leaving to go to downtown Los Angeles to hand out Christmas gifts to homeless children. Then seven years old, Angela’s son, left his new toys to go downtown with her to help other children. When he graduated high school, he became an AmeriCorps member, motivated to serve by his mother’s example.

In 2017, Angela decided to go back to school full time to advance her professional career and is scheduled to graduate in 2021. She worked as an independent outreach coordinator, helping those who are in the same place she once was. In 2021, Angela became a community health worker program manager at Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Angela wants everyone to know it is never too late to start over and to learn something new.

Clancy Imislund, Managing Director of The Midnight Mission since 1974, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2020. For 46 years, he worked relentlessly, helping disenfranchised people in Skid Row find a pathway to self-sufficiency. Clancy is known worldwide for his leadership in the 12-step community, speaking globally to bring a message of life-saving hope to those in the darkest places.

Among his many accomplishments, Clancy was responsible for bringing the 12-step philosophy to The Midnight, establishing the organization as one of the first providers of addiction treatment on Skid Row, earning him the title, “The King of Skid Row.” Clancy has said that what The Midnight Mission does “is the difference between giving a hungry person a fish and teaching them how to fish.”

Clancy led The Midnight through the many dramatic changes occurring on Skid Row over the past five decades. During his tenure, he saw drastic changes in the population, which began to include not only homeless men but women and children, too. Clancy championed the Capital Campaign to build TMM’s facility at 601 S. San Pedro Street, which opened in 2005 to handle the diverse populations The Midnight Mission now serves.

TMM President & CEO Mike Arnold stated, “Clancy has been part of The Midnight Mission family for almost 50 years, and has a special place in our lives, and our hearts. He was my mentor, my advocate, my fellow Norwegian, who always understood and loved my Olli and Olaf jokes, and a kindred spirit in his desire to help people live better lives than they ever imagined for themselves. We can and should celebrate that we had the opportunity to spend so much time with this man whose presence was always larger than life, and recognize that we may never meet anyone who has left a bigger footprint on not only The Midnight Mission but the world at large than our friend, Clancy.”

Where Clancy’s life ended was a far cry from where he began. He was born in the small town of Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1927. At the tender age of fifteen, Clancy left home, joined the Merchant Marines, marked his sixteenth birthday in Pearl Harbor, and then joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 17. After the war, while in college, Clancy began drinking with other Veterans and growing more dependent on alcohol. Despite not liking the taste, he continued to drink because it was “the thing to do.” Alcohol slowly took control of his life, and after a 15 year downhill battle, Clancy found himself alone and penniless on the streets of Skid Row. He had lost everything, his career as a successful marketing executive, friends, and his family. Only the clothes on his back and portable typewriter remained, which he pawned for ten dollars so he could function a bit longer.

When Clancy was thrown out of The Midnight on October 31, 1958, after a brief scuffle, no one dreamed that one day he would return to become the organization’s leader. Back out on the street again, Clancy realized he had finally hit bottom. His recovery began by his walking 71 blocks, in the rain, to an alcoholic rehabilitation center on Wilshire and Fairfax. Upon entering, Clancy was finally willing to do whatever it might take to get his life back. Under the instruction of a mentor, Clancy found a job, a plan for life, and began his journey on the road of recovery.

After five years of sobriety and laborious progress on his part, his wife and family reunited. He made his way back into the work world and, after some time, became an executive at KHJ radio and television in Los Angeles, where he was instrumental in introducing the “boss radio” format. During this time, he began working with alcoholics and speaking to civic groups about alcoholism and rehabilitation. He had found his passion in helping others get their lives back. No one could describe alcoholism or talk to “drunks” the way that Clancy could.

“Clancy Imislund was the Jonas Salk of recovery,” TMM supporter and friend, actor/activist Ed Begley, Jr. explained. “With 12 steps (and often 12 good jokes), he could inoculate a large room, or one lonely and desperate soul with a cure that, unlike polio, didn’t last a lifetime, but one manageable a day at a time. The millions of people that he touched around the world will never be the same.”

In 1974, Clancy was enjoying a second successful career in publishing and radio promotion, when a member of TMM’s Board of Directors asked if he knew of any candidates that were qualified for the Managing Director position. He could find no one that would take the job and decided to do it himself on an interim basis. Clancy discovered his true calling and was so effective using his talents that he stayed on permanently.

Over the years, Clancy had a profound impact at The Midnight and in the lives of the thousands of people who have come through our doors. Clancy brought an unmatchable level of empathy and understanding to the organization. TMM Board member and former President and CEO Larry Adamson wrote, “A great man has been called to his place in God’s kingdom. Everywhere I traveled and spoke of The Midnight Mission, Clancy’s name would immediately become the subject. He was a man who had more impact on humanity than anyone I ever had the privilege to know. God, thank you for allowing me the privilege to have shared the leadership of The Midnight Mission with him. Until we meet again, my brother, until we meet again. Rest in Peace.”

Never one to mince words, Clancy was known for his direct, no-nonsense demeanor, but also his approachability. He always seemed to have the time to listen and provide a few words of wisdom. To say that Clancy was the heart and soul of The Midnight would be an understatement. Clancy saved homeless lives, as well as the lives of alcoholics all over the world. He offered hope to everyone: rich and poor, those living in tents and boxes, and those living in Beverly Hills mansions. They would all come to the Midnight to get his help to beat alcoholism. Longtime friend and TMM supporter, entertainer Dick Van Dyke said of Clancy, “He was one of a kind. How many of us owe our lives to him?!”

The cornerstone to recovery is one alcoholic helping another alcoholic. For over 61 years, Clancy lived a life that mattered and showed others by his example, how helping one person help another could make an enormous difference to those whom the world may consider hopeless. The traditions he established will have a ripple effect on the lives of those who knew him and will continue to impact for generations to come. “Clancy was the most influential person in my life,” TMM board member and friend Steve Watson said. “He taught me that it is our great honor to be able to help another human being, no matter what their pain or suffering or needs are. He helped give me a purpose for my life, and that is to help my fellow man, woman, or child.”

To carry on his legacy, Clancy leaves his five children, fifteen grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and thousands of friends who considered him their teacher and mentor. He was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte, and his son.

James Farr first came to The Midnight Mission for help in 1996, but he did not apply the lessons he learned until he went through the program for the second time in 2000. For the last 20 years, James has faithfully served The Midnight Mission.

Staying at The Midnight Mission was not James’ original plan. He worked in the kitchen as part of TMM’s work therapy program. He had applied for Section 8 housing, and he found an apartment. He asked if he could stay on at TMM until he found another job. James never found another job. In his words, “The Midnight Mission saved my life, and it is where I give back to others.” James believes it is important to be where he is supposed to be, and it is evident TMM is where he is needed. He only misses work if he is sick, and then someone has to tell him to go home. His co-workers know he is responsible and dependable.

James loves to meet the volunteers who come to help in The Midnight Mission’s kitchen. His enthusiasm for what he does spills over into the people he meets. He has many stories of people who have come in over the years.

One little boy started to volunteer at The Midnight Mission when he was nine years old. He came with his family; then, the family brought their church to volunteer. James watched him grow up over the years he volunteered with TMM. He grew so close to the family; they invited him to celebrate Christmas at their house. Another volunteer would return month after month, showing James a picture he had taken of the two of them, telling James he was his best friend.

James had an incredible mentor at The Midnight Mission. Richard Ramirez was the executive chef when he first came to the program in 1996, and he was there when he came back. They worked together for over 13 years. Richard encouraged James to go to LA Trade Tech culinary school. The program took two years, and it required James to work from 12 am until 6 am then go to school. He would catch a bus to and from school and work, sometimes getting his sleep between stops. In the end, James finished and is a certified chef.

Richard urged James to get a driver’s license. When Richard was sick and near the end of his life, he told James he would leave his car to James. The relationship they had working together was full of love and support.

In addition to having great relationships with staff and volunteers, James has excellent ties with donors. SoCalGas is a faithful donor who also works hands-on at The Midnight Mission. James developed a trusting relationship with one of the engineers who would volunteer in the kitchen. He would compliment James, telling him he ran the kitchen beautifully. When it came time for the Smokey Robinson golf tournament, the engineer invited James to play on his team. One of the executives who was playing with them won five of the prizes awarded that day. He gave all of the prizes away except one, a Soul Train Cruise. He said he was keeping it for himself. When the executive returned to The Midnight Mission for the Golden Heart Gala, he asked to see James. When James came to work, he was curious why they were all standing in a circle. The executive said it was put on his heart to give James the trip. James was so surprised. It was the best vacation, one he could not have planned for himself. He saw many artists perform on the seven-day cruise and even heard Smokey Robinson when they went to the port in Puerto Rico.

The life James leads is one of service to others. His eagerness to get to know others grants immeasurable rewards. He has stayed connected to The Midnight Mission and those who come through the doors to work, volunteer, or get their own lives back on track. James is a shining example of what can happen when you put your trust in God and dedicate your life to helping others. He found all of his needs are met, and he lives a life that is usefully whole. James encourages others to stay focused, stay connected, and don’t let circumstances in life knock you off your feet.

If you were to ask anyone at The Midnight Mission, “Do you know Susie?” chances are they’ll say yes. 2019 Golden Heart Recipient Susie Siverts isn’t just a Midnight Mission volunteer; she is THE Midnight Mission volunteer. Since 2013, she has dedicated her time, effort, and delicious baked goods to our organization with a smile and an open heart. But before Susie called The Midnight Mission her home away from home, she saw it as only one thing – her last hope to save her son’s life.

Shane had just been released from prison, and it was time for him to enter a drug-treatment program. Susie had been sober since 1988 and knew Clancy Imislund, The Midnight Mission’s Managing Director. She was a member of a 12-step group founded by Clancy. But Shane’s probation officer wanted Shane to try a different treatment program instead of coming to The Midnight Mission. When Susie told Clancy that, he responded in his loving yet brusque *Clancy way,* “Call me when he gets drunk again,” and promptly hung up the phone. Sure enough, Shane did just that and finally entered The Midnight Mission’s Healthy Living Program and, before long, was on his way toward sustained sobriety.

Before his time in prison, there was a period of THREE YEARS where Susie had no idea where Shane was or if he was alive or dead. With no sense of direction and no way to find him, there was nothing she could do but wait. When they were finally reunited, Shane’s drug-use had caused irreversible brain damage. Throughout his prison sentence, and in the weeks immediately after, they searched for a suitable program to enroll him. Susie knew there was one thing that had always helped her son thrive, even when he was a child: structure. The Midnight Mission’s Healthy Living Program offered that and was the perfect place for Shane.

From the moment Susie dropped Shane off, she knew that they had made the right choice. Our Director of Philanthropy David Prentice greeted them, then an Advocate. Susie and David were friends, so she knew her son was in good hands. The Midnight Mission gave Shane more than a bridge to sobriety and self-sufficiency; it gave him the structure he needed to succeed and friendships with fellow Midnight Mission Alumni, founded on mutual-support and camaraderie.

According to Susie, The Midnight Mission saved her son’s life. And it is for that reason she feels she can’t give enough back to our organization. She volunteers for every holiday, and special event, consistently brings in new volunteers to join our community, and spreads hope and good cheer throughout the TMM. “I look at everyone here, guests and program participants, and know that they’re no different from me. I was them not too long ago. Some of them just need a warm hug and a friend. That’s what I want to be.”

Logan Hobson had hit bottom for the fifteenth time when he walked through the doors of The Midnight Mission. He was 58 years old, and Skid Row was his last hope.

It was a far cry from where he had been. Logan had been a sportswriter in New York. While in Las Vegas, he invented the Compubox, a computer program capable of tracking every punch in a boxing match. For nearly 20 years, Logan worked with HBO Sports and ESPN on their boxing telecasts. He was also a sportswriter with United Press International, New York, for seven years. He had arrived, but Logan decided to sell the business for new challenges.

He didn’t know the most significant challenge he would face would be to get and stay sober. He was in 20 detoxes, treatment centers, and sober living houses for eight years until even they would not take him in any longer. He had a mentor who let him sleep on his couch and told him that he would take him to The Midnight Mission at 6 am the following morning. Logan recalls thinking his mentor treated his dog better than he was treating him. Logan had no idea this man was taking him to a place that would save his life. The man told him it was time for him to pick up the tab for all his malarkey. He guaranteed him if he stayed at The Midnight Mission, he would finally own his life. He told him to see the old man, Clancy.

After being at TMM for a couple of weeks, Logan made an appointment to meet with Clancy. As Logan sat across from him, he told Clancy he didn’t know if he wanted to be sober. Clancy told him he was honored to have a no-good bum with them at TMM, then Clancy smiled at him and told him he knew exactly how he felt. For the first time, someone understood. Logan realized what Clancy said was true. He was a bum, and he needed help.

Clancy hired Logan as his assistant. Clancy would tell him to have his mail, emails, donut, and coffee ready in the morning. Logan knew something was changing in him because having Clancy’s things ready was more important than how he felt. Feelings had driven him, and now he was motivated by service.

Logan learned the most from watching Clancy. After Clancy finished reading the USA Today at lunchtime, he would tell Logan to take the paper to the parking garage attendant because he could use something to read. Clancy noticed the people that others did not see. He had a way of connecting to people, stopping in the hall to ask how people were doing.

Every year, Clancy did a mailing for The Midnight Mission. Logan recalls he would sit with the guys to stuff envelopes. He would tell jokes and stories to make the day more fun. Clancy wanted to be hands-on because these were his people.

Clancy wasn’t big about talking about God, but he would show you what God is about through his care for others. Logan listened to how he spoke to his sponsees in the 12 step recovery program. He had 150 sponsees and knew what was going on in each of their lives. Logan became one of those people whom Clancy knew inside and out. Clancy could unscramble the alcoholic brain and simplify things. He had an uncanny way of calming people down. He told them when you don’t know what to do; kindness is your default setting.

Clancy drilled it into Logan’s head to keep recovery first. You will lose everything you put before recovery. Logan believes it was divine intervention that brought him to The Midnight Mission and into the lap of the person who had an understanding of alcoholism like no other. He believes no one else could have gotten through to him.

Before the pandemic, Logan, a comedian, was performing regularly at the Comedy Store. He was also hosting TMM’s Laughter With a Mission Open Mic and bringing guest comedians to perform for our guests. For the last five years, he has been playing the Easter Bunny at TMM’s Easter celebration.

Since graduating from our program, Logan continues to lend a hand-up to those who are recovering from addiction and homelessness. Today, he works as a property manager and as a manager of a sober living house. Logan has a life he never dreamed would be possible. He owes it all to Clancy, The Midnight Mission, and his recovery support group.

From a young age, Director Dr. Ronald Koretz wanted to do something to help people. This desire led him to become a physician to care for people. Then, the reality of the business of medicine in the 1970s set in. The field had become like every other industry, driven by money. LA County offered Director Koretz an opportunity to serve people who had no access to healthcare. He went on to work within the county system helping others on a shoestring budget for 32 years.

Because of the lack of money available, there was always competition between departments for funding. Director Koretz had a vision of collaborating and pooling their resources for the client’s good, but the idea did not take off.

Director Koretz grew up with a father involved in a Masonic lodge. He was familiar with the organization and drawn to the camaraderie. When he asked his father how to become a Mason, his mother laughed. His father had been carrying around an application for years, waiting for him to ask. The way to become a Mason is to ask a Mason. He went to his first meeting, and a man came up to him, shook his hand, and asked how he was doing. The man stood there, waiting for a reply, honestly wanting to know how Director Koretz was. Director Koretz found the support and friendships he longed for within the lodge.

He met men who influenced him. One of those men was on the Board of Directors at The Midnight Mission (TMM), and another had recently become CEO. The lodge members knew about The Midnight Mission; they had been donating clothes to raise money for the work they do in Skid Row. At TMM’s annual fundraiser, he was approached to become a board member. He has served on the board for over 20 years now.

Director Koretz’s involvement with TMM fulfilled his need to do something that would be good for society, especially people who are limited in what they can do for themselves. He also helped with the thrift shop in east LA., another avenue to give back to the community.

Director Koretz facilitated the conversation at TMM around the Healthy Living Program. Measuring our success has always been a challenge. He met with the staff to create a measure of the success of the participants at TMM. One measure is if the men are showing up for recovery meetings. They discovered being sober was just the beginning of self-sufficiency. To measure independence, you had to look at every area of a participant’s life: sobriety, education, housing, and transportation. The committee investigated each domain’s characteristics and what it would entail for these goals to be met. The Healthy Living Program aims to give the graduates a chance at healthier lives, and with each domain accomplished, the participant thrives. In creating a life of healthy living, you change the entire world for one person.

The Midnight Mission is thankful for Director Koretz and his unique leadership to facilitate conversations to help our participants become successful and contributing members of society. With his leadership, we have taken great strides in assisting people to become the people they were meant to be.

Stephanie Moya was born and raised in Van Nuys, CA. She came to the HomeLight Family Living Program in July 2019. She has just given birth to her youngest son, David, and was staying in a sober living house. A friend suggested she go to HLFL with her newborn son.

At 27, Stephanie had never lived on her own. Before going to sober living, she resided with her grandparents and had gotten used to having someone else take care of her. She felt she was incapable of living alone and raising her child by herself. Stephanie established a great support group at HomeLight Family Living that holds her accountable. Other residents, who are sharing their life lessons, supply Stephanie with continual encouragement and hope, showing her what is most important. An alumnus of the HLFL program helped babysit her child so that Stephanie could go to work and not have to worry about his safety and wellbeing. With continued support, Stephanie learned how to be self-sufficient.

HomeLight Family Living program has given Stephanie stability. When she came to HLFL, she enrolled in school, and this brought her closer to achieving her career goals. Another goal in progress for Stephanie is to obtain custody of her oldest son, Arsen. Although it has been a rocky road, Stephanie has the endurance to continue to fight to have her son with her.

Stephanie learned the joy of giving. She was amazed and felt blessed to receive the services of the program. She received parenting classes, mental health services, school opportunities, and volunteer opportunities. Because of the enormous impact HLFL had on her life, Stephanie put her gratitude in action by volunteering at the HLFL parent organization, The Midnight Mission (TMM). After being at HLFL for six months, she met a single mother of four, who was new to the program. When Stephanie saw her friend going through similar problems Stephanie had gone through, she extended her hand to help. She remembered the kindness shown to her, and she knew she wanted to give hope to anyone who was struggling.

Stephanie has an entirely new outlook on life. She can admit when she is wrong instead of looking for someone else to blame. She admits her faults and keeps her side of the “street” clean. She has found new solutions for problems that would otherwise baffle her. She has learned it is ok to depend on others and to have others rely on her. Keeping in touch with her accountability partners lets her carry on with her responsibilities as a single mother.

Stephanie wants to thank HomeLight for allowing her the opportunity to get her life together when she had no more options left. There is no greater gift than being stable enough to be a mother to her children.

“Should you ever need help, know that you do not have to do anything alone, ever again. You will always have someone willing to help you at any time.”

Albert Rivas came to The Midnight Mission in 2019, looking for a new start. He entered the Healthy Living Program, which is designed to help people learn how to live a life free from drugs and alcohol and become contributing members of society. Albert was motivated, determined, and optimistic about what the future might hold.

At The Midnight Mission, Albert found a foundation for his new life through our 12-step philosophy. He acknowledges part of getting back on his feet was accepting the mental health and housing help TMM offered. Albert took suggestions about how to do the next right thing and learned to take responsibility for his past and present actions.

During his first few months at TMM, Albert found it hard to adjust to others’ behaviors and personalities. A verbal disagreement discouraged Albert, and he wanted to leave. But, because he was on a new footing, his desire to change and live a better life exceeded his need to be right. He experienced spiritual growth as he placed principles before personalities and realized he only had the power to change himself.

In his first few months of being at TMM, he realized the program was working for him. He says he knows having people who were empathetic to his needs helped him be more patient in the relationships that he is now building. Coming from a broken home made him realize just how essential communication is. With patience and good communication, he has become a better father and is now a positive influence in his children’s lives. Albert thanks the staff of TMM for inspiring him and setting an example of the type of person he strives to be. Albert would especially like to thank Matt for his support and understanding, Donald for being patient, encouraging and helping him with problem-solving advice, and Ebony for being a good listener and advocate.

Albert is an active member of a 12-step fellowship, attending regular meetings and has even been approved by our Program Director to start his own 12-step recovery group here at TMM. He uses his life experiences to help others find freedom from addiction. He values his relationships with other people, and he likes to treat people the way he wants to be treated.

Albert plans to join TMMs 1201 Alumni Club to continue to give back and share with others how to utilize the tools he acquired through the 12 steps. He walked through the doors of TMM with only the clothes on his back and received not only food and shelter, but a new way of life. He knew he was in the right place. Albert now has a love for The Midnight Mission that no one can take from him. If there is anyone who is on the fence about coming into The Healthy Life Program, Albert has a word of advice: “Don’t give up. You will hit roadblocks. However, if you work hard, you can move forward from those roadblocks. Make sure you put in the work.”

Wendy Ordower from the Milken School has brought students to volunteer at The Midnight Mission for the past fifteen years. The mission of Milken School is to create a world in which every person is treated B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God – infinitely valuable, unique, and equal. With this core value in place, they are committed to building and embracing the community.

One of the ways to build community is through a partnership circle. The Midnight Mission is part of Milken’s circle, and they are willing to do whatever is needed to help The Midnight Mission bring hope to our neighbors in Skid Row.

The partnership between Milken and The Midnight Mission started with schoolwide days of service. The students first learn from an intellectual viewpoint, studying how to treat others with dignity and kindness, and the concept of taking care of others. The students are taught the importance of not separating from the community.

Before COVID-19, the students would come to TMM to have first-hand experience with people in the community. They would walk into the courtyard and see the 12 steps etched to the doorway. Once inside, they handed out food, picked up trays, or helped someone disabled get food. Being hands-on gave them an experience beyond what they could learn in a book. On the tour of the facility, they heard how people connected to God through the recovery process.

After leaving The Midnight Mission, the students have a period of reflection of what they saw and heard. One thing that set The Midnight Mission apart from other missions is that TMM is not faith-based, yet through the twelve-step philosophy, people had found the faith they need to recover.

At one of the visits to TMM, the students encountered a program participant in the small dining room. He had just received a new pair of shoes. The man’s joy overflowed as he shared his journey to The Midnight Mission. He was authentic and so moved the students that they wanted to reach back out to him. These lessons in connection to the community go beyond the learning capacity in a classroom. The visits to The Midnight Mission provided students with the opportunity to connect with people in the community they would not have otherwise met.

Wendy said the students have experience in tzedakah, which refers to giving to those in need. She went on to say these honor students are our future leaders, policymakers, and officials. Their volunteer time at The Midnight Mission helps shape the adults they will become. Being deeply committed to service prepares them for a future where they can help shape more connected communities.

We want to express our sincere gratitude to our friend Wendy who is the driving force behind this meaningful partnership. Not only have the students been enlightened by the experience, so have our staff and the people we serve. We look forward to welcoming back the Milken students soon.

Matt grew up in Northern California with his Mom, Dad, brother, and sister. He has fond memories of hunting and fishing with his brother. Stronger than these recollections are ones of living in a house with an abusive, alcoholic father. Matt recalls watching his Mom endure physical beatings. When he was six years old, Matt’s Dad left the family.

With his father’s leaving, Matt was now the man of the house. He would help his Mom with his siblings, quitting school in eighth grade to work in the fields. Matt suffered from prejudice from his uncles and cousins. Being biracial made him a target for their bullying and violence. He found himself fighting with them to protect himself. The combination of abandonment from his father and abuse from his family planted a seed of shame.

Matt’s Mom got remarried, and Papa Joe became a real father to Matt. He showed Matt love and taught him the skills to be a man. When Matt was 25, his beloved mother passed away from cancer. Two months later, Papa Joe died. Matt didn’t know how to handle the pain of their deaths, so he turned to what he had seen his father turn to, drugs and alcohol.

As he turned away from his family and into his addiction, Matt lost all contact with his siblings and children. He stepped into the life of gangs and prisons. He watched one by one as his friends died from overdoses or were shot down in cold blood. He thanks God for being what he calls a “bad criminal.” Matt said he was always getting caught. At the time, he thought it was bad luck. Today, Matt thanks God for sitting him in “time out.” He believes these “time outs” helped save his life by getting him off the streets for extended periods.

Anna was someone who was special to Matt. They had a relationship filled with drugs, alcohol, and running the streets. Matt watched Anna suffer from the effects of methamphetamines. In the end, she went to the hospital with an enlarged heart. Matt’s warrants caught up to him, and he was arrested. Instead of being with Anna as she took her last breath, Matt sat in a dim jail cell.

Anna’s death was a turning point for Matt. He looked around his life, and all he saw was death and destruction. He made a decision it would be the last time he would be incarcerated. He wanted a different life. One year later, he was out of jail, and he had nowhere to go. He ended up going to Anna’s grave. He spent three days at the cemetery, determined to walk away from the life of drugs and crime.

Matt hadn’t talked to his brother in 15 years. When he called to tell him where he was, his brother came to pick him up. His brother opened his home for Matt to have a place to rest his head. He stayed there for three weeks, then went to stay with his son. Matt wanted more from life; he wanted to live a life of self-sufficiency. Matt’s brother-in-law worked with the Rotary Club and secured him a bed at The Midnight Mission.

On April 11, 2019, Matt began his journey with The Midnight Mission. He credits TMM for the best year of his life. In the past year, Matt has found his identity. He said it had been a beautiful journey getting to know himself. He found out he is a loving person who cares about others. Matt is reliable and responsible.

His actions match his words. Matt is currently working two jobs, one at The Midnight Mission, and the other one at Chrysalis. Matt used to work in construction, making a lot of money, but the money never lasted in his previous lifestyle. Today, Matt stated work isn’t about the money you make; it’s about giving back. When he goes to bed after a long day of work, he sleeps well.

Matt spends time each day reading his Bible. He says it helps keep him centered on what is important. He has found he does not have to live his life in shame, and he is confident to continue his recovery and this way of life. He has experienced healing of the heartache he has endured. With help from The Midnight Mission staff, Matt has made peace with his past and is focusing on the future.

The relationships Matt neglected during the years in his addiction are being reconciled. He talks to his brother and sister often. On his birthday, he was surprised by the food lovingly brought by his sister. Matt rejoices in the love he has found in his family. He is hopeful of reuniting with his children when the time is right.

Matt is determined to make the right decisions. He has found a healthy way of living, and he wants to build on it. Through his recovery, he has been given a new pair of glasses. Matt can see red flags and can act intuitively with wisdom. He desires to have peace with himself and with others, and he has decided to let nothing get in his way.

Matt will graduate from The Midnight Mission’s participant program in June of 2020. His dream job is to work in security at TMM. He looks back on his life, and he can see how many times he should have been dead. But, now he has a new beginning. His greatest desire is to provide hope to other men, like himself, who come to The Midnight Mission in complete despair. He said if he could help guide just one person to a new life and to offer support like he has been given, he will have eternal treasures.

After a lifelong battle with trauma-related mental health issues, drug addiction, abusive relationships, and a total lack of self-worth, Sara Gabriel was in constant conflict. She wanted nothing more in the world than live a healthy, joyful, loving life and to be able to provide for her child, who she loved more than anything.

Instead, she and her son struggled due to her choices, and she was driven by a disease that convinced her she was only self-medicating. She was barely surviving and living an utterly unmanageable life. She knew she was not the only one paying the price; her son was suffering the consequences, too. The shame and guilt were eating her alive. Depression and anxiety ran her life, and she couldn’t see a way out. Sara found herself unable to care for herself and her son, and her son went to stay with his father.

Sara soon found herself homeless and hopeless. For the next six years, she lived on the streets, in bushes, or in a tent. She didn’t know that she was being prepared for the most important surrender of her life. Sara finally reached the bitter end after 26 years of active addiction. After looking for relief in everything outside herself and only creating more harm, enough was enough.

At 38 years old, Sara was pulled from the trenches. She got help, got clean, and did the work. Sara faced her choices and took responsibility for her life. She truly began to recover. God gifted Sara the chance to reconnect with her son; he welcomed her back. But, she had no place for them to live. The most heartbreaking thing was to be reunited with him yet have no place to call home. Then, God placed another miracle in their lives in the form of HomeLight Family Living, a program of The Midnight Mission.

Sara says, “HomeLight gave us so much more than a home. It gave us a team of people, our angels on earth, who taught us how to believe in ourselves as they guided us through the process of stability. It gave us safety and security. They poured hope into our lives and love into our hearts. I remember saying all I need is someone to give me a chance, and I’d promise to make the very most of it.”

Almost five years later, Sara continues to keep her promise. Her son was given so much more than a home with his mom; he was given a brighter future because of the opportunities HomeLight provided them. Sara’s passion and mission are to use her life experiences to connect with and guide others through their recovery process.

After working for an organization for about two years and completing peer support specialist training, Sara received a promotion to program coordinator and supervises and trains others in their efforts to help our underprivileged community.

She uses her rock bottom experience as a foundation for others to begin a new life. She now has a life full of love and joy she had always sought.

“A million thank yous would never be enough. Today, we live one day at a time with gratitude in our actions. We carry this message; the lie is dead. We do recover with the help of those along the way. We can find a new way to live, fully alive.”

Floyd Davis started with the cards stacked against him. At an early age, he was exposed to drugs, alcohol, and violent abuse. Davis was born and raised in New Orleans in a household with a loving mother, but an abusive father. At the age of six, his father got upset and pulled a gun on him. His mom stepped in between Floyd and the gun, and his dad fired a shot, which narrowly missed his mother’s head. Davis saw it all. He never wanted to be like his dad but later found himself falling into the same patterns with his own son by drinking and being abusive. Then one day, as he was pulling out a stick to whip his son, he broke down and said: “I don’t want to be like this,” he then grabbed his son and hugged him, “I’m not going to be like that” he told himself.

As much as he tried, Davis could not stop abusing drugs and alcohol. The Impression his dad had on his life was too strong to ignore. Davis believed that he would never escape a life of drugs, alcohol, and abuse. Because of that, he felt like there was never going to be closure in his life. Although he tried to live on the straight and narrow, he soon found himself in Skid Row, where he was using daily. But that fire always burned within him to become a better man. Davis, who describes himself as a “go-getter and a man who wanted to change his life,” brought himself to The Midnight Mission (TMM) in July of 2018 looking for a new start.

Davis had a lot of built-up anger festering inside of him. The first few months at The Midnight were hard and he was rebellious and acted out. A fellow Skid Row friend didn’t think The Midnight Mission was for Davis. She tried to convince him to go back to the streets and continue using drugs and alcohol. It would have been the easy thing to do. But despite how he was acting out, the desire to be a better man never left Davis’ thoughts. He told his friend he was going to stay at The Midnight Mission and continue to work on himself.

There were many times when Davis wanted to quit and leave, but a picture of a bearded man who asked him for a dollar reminded him of what he didn’t want to be. He thought to himself, “I remembered a man I had seen, that had asked me for a dollar on the street, and something came clear to me that day. If you don’t stop doing what you are doing, you’re going to be just like that man, nothing. They’re just going to put dirt over you, and that’s it. And I said I never want to be like that man. I think seeing that man is what keeps me focused. I think God showed me that man for a reason.”

Davis worked hard and has been able to find success at The Midnight Mission. He passed the resume class with flying colors. Since then, he has found a job as a dishwasher and has helped eight other TMM participants gain employment. He takes great pride in being of service to others. He says his job and his boss, who gave him a chance, keep him going. In fact, his boss would like Davis to someday go to culinary school. Davis has also joined the 1201 Alumni Association after successfully completing the program. The week of Thanksgiving, Davis moved into his first new apartment.

As Davis leaves The Midnight Mission and embarks upon his new journey, he hopes to be remembered as a decent person. “I want to make a change. I may not have much, but I want to make a change.” Davis knows it won’t be easy and some days will be harder than others. But, as Davis likes to say, “good is always going to outdo the evil. Evil can not win!”

I started volunteering at The Midnight Mission (when I got sober) in 1993 as a holiday volunteer. I had lost everything, hit bottom and was in the process of rebuilding my life. There was a group of people from my home group coming down to volunteer, and I just followed what everyone else was doing. Plus, I was interested in The Midnight because I have always had a deep and profound fear of being homeless. In fact, it has been one of my greatest fears most of my life. This seemed like a good way to face my fear head-on.

When I would volunteer here, I felt a kinship with the people here on our streets yet felt completely powerless to help in any way. It was heartbreaking. I had been living paycheck to paycheck for most of my life. I knew that could be me, or anyone else for that matter, that was homeless and living on our streets. In 2009, after being on disability with a back injury, it was time to get back into the work force. Since I had always felt the pull to be here, I called the Volunteer Coordinator and asked if I could start volunteering until I found a job.

The more time I spent here, the more I saw how much hope there is and how many services are available to our community. I have witnessed countless extraordinary acts of kindness by our community, staff and volunteers. I started to hear the stories of the people we serve and was able to see first-hand that lives were being changed. My fear of homelessness dissipated. I was hired as a full-time employee in 2010 – seventeen years after I had first volunteered. I have since had that opportunity to work with some of the finest people on the planet that genuinely care about our community and give selflessly of themselves daily.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to start a few programs here: Music With A Mission, Art With A Mission and Laughter With A Mission. These programs are aimed at bringing our community together through music and art. Working here really keeps things in perspective for me. It is a loud and clear reminder of my many blessings and what is important. I have a life that is filled with love and not love that is measured by the love others may feel for me, but by the immense love I have for so many people in my life. In addition, I met my musical partner, Ken Perry, here in 2010. He was a volunteer for one of the Music With A Mission programs.

I am involved in a 12 step program that has saved my life. Through the fellowship, I have been given a way to live. I have been able to clean up the wreckage of my past, mend relationships and live my life with integrity. I have been given the opportunity to speak all over the world, sharing my experience, strength and hope, which includes my involvement here at TMM. I have seen how my experience can help others. I don’t think there is a greater gift than being able to help someone else.

I’ve had so many memorable moments here and have been touched by the stories of our guests and clients. There is so much hope and love against a back drop of despair and tragedy. Some days, I just have to cry. I figure the day I stop crying is the day I need to find another job and/or check my pulse to be sure I am still alive.

I have met many wonderful people here. There is Ed, “the balloon man,” who is somehow transformed to normal while bending balloons for others. There is Elzie, “the homeless comedian”, who is truly funny and talented and lives on our streets. There was Leonard and Tony, who used to help me set up and clean up after each of my events. One year, during the Christmas season, there was a woman in the lobby charging her wheel chair. Both of her legs had been amputated, and she said she was hungry. It was in between meals, so I got her some cookies and a drink. When she reached her arms out of her coat to take the drink, I saw that she had no hands! I couldn’t believe it! I was shocked to see that people like her are homeless and left to fend for themselves on our streets. She was gracious and thankful for the gesture. I will never forget her.

There is Ron, Jay, May, Black Kennedy Lincoln and so many more that attend our events and are always so thankful. Bridgette, a beautiful woman who lives on our streets and attends our events, wrote a poem about the Music With A Mission program. It ended with these words: “Even though I am homeless, the pretty musical notes gently remind me that life is so dear. When I hear the symphony, a smile on my face appears. Yes, I have had my share of heartaches, but one thing is clear. Thanks to the musicians, this has still been my very best year.”

Today my life has meaning and purpose thanks to my sobriety and The Midnight Mission.

Georgia Berkovich
Director of Public Affairs

Like most recovering addicts in our Healthy Living Program, Randy V. has struggled with addiction pretty much his whole life. The youngest of 4 siblings, Randy was born and raised in Ontario, CA. by his single Mother. Although he came from a good family and didn’t have any tragic things happen to him, Randy still found himself taking the wrong path and using drugs and alcohol at the young age of 15 years old, unlike his siblings who graduated High School and went off to pursue their careers and start families of their own. “I used to see all the older guys in the neighborhood shooting up and I’d say to myself, I’ll never do that. And then one day, someone offered it (heroin) to me, and I was hooked ever since.”

Randy started seeing the negative effects addiction had on his life when he was around the age of 19 years old. He had his first child at the age of 20, but couldn’t quit drugs and alcohol. Randy was what we call a functioning addict. He was still able to maintain a job at a Shell gas station and hide his addiction pretty well, even from his girlfriend and Mother of his child. Randy was in and out of jail and treatment programs for periods of time. He was with the same woman and mother of his 4 children for 15 years until she passed away in 2005 from a brain aneurism. This weighed heavy on Randy, especially because he was in jail during her passing and the guilt he felt of not being there for his daughters.

Randy tried so many times to remain clean and sober but nothing clicked until he came to The Midnight Mission. He got tired of lying and hurting those he loved. In September 2013, Randy came to Los Angeles in hopes of getting into a neighboring shelter. He had all the paperwork filled out, but they didn’t have a bed available for him. He would come to The Midnight Mission to eat breakfast and one day he ran into a guy he recognized that was working security. The man told him about the Healthy Living program that The Midnight Mission had to offer to those on their path to self-sufficiency. That following Friday, Randy came back and has been here ever since.

Since he’s been at The Midnight Mission, Randy has learned how to remain clean and sober, the right way. He has learned more and more about the disease of his addiction. “I see guys that have been here as long as me, if not longer and all it takes is that one drink to put them back on the streets again. And that helps me to continue on. For once in my life I’m at peace with where I’m at. I don’t look back on life, unless it’s to see how far I’ve come.” Randy graduated from our Healthy Living Program in November 2014 and received his Certificate of Completion of drug and alcohol courses through CCAPP (California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals) in hopes to become a Drug & Alcohol counselor one day. He is also in the process of testing for his High School Diploma and is very eager to achieve that.

Staying clean and sober has helped Randy to reunite with his daughters and maintain a relationship with them again. In December 2014, his youngest daughter reached out to him through an email and they’ve been in contact ever since. “I haven’t told them about what I’ve accomplished yet, because I don’t want to continue to make promises to them that I can’t keep. They’ve been hurt enough. I want to prove it to them this time. I’m now getting invited to my Grandson’s birthday party, something I never thought would happen. I’m just happy to be back in their lives again, any way that I can.”

After volunteering and showing his strong effort and merit at California Hospital, Randy was offered a position and hired on as an Environmental Specialist, cleaning and organizing the closet where they store the donations that they receive. He also interns here at The Midnight Mission filing paperwork and doing intakes on new participants under the supervision of our Healthy Living Advocate, Rita Richardson.

“I’ve been in a lot of treatment programs and The Midnight Mission is the best one out here in Los Angeles. It may be in the worst area, but it’s the best program. The Midnight Mission has helped me with my education and court issues. The things they do for us on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, make staying sober a lot easier. Every day isn’t perfect, but if you can come in and sit still and adapt to what The Midnight Mission has to offer, you’re good. I couldn’t have done any of the things I’ve accomplished without the help from everyone here and my higher power God, of course. “

A book on the horrors of drug addiction could easily be written about Bobbie Jo’s life. At the early age of ten, she had her first taste of alcohol. “I remember adding vodka to my grape juice in my little Tasmanian Devil cup.” Not long after, at age thirteen, a friend introduced her to speed. The powder in a baggie set her on a path to ruin.

Having been abandoned by her Mom, considered the ‘Black Sheep’ at her father’s house, and under the influence of speed, Bobbie Jo began running away. “If I didn’t like something, I would just leave,” she remembers. This would set a pattern she would repeat throughout her life. At age fourteen, Bobbie Jo was arrested for fighting. She started snorting speed, and drinking became a problem. Despite trying to hide her addiction, Bobbie Jo said, “I felt rotten, like a garbage can.”

Bobbie Jo became pregnant with her first son, and six months after his birth, her mother died. Her addiction to speed escalated, and her relationship with her child’s father was toxic and rife with domestic violence. Bobbie Jo had two more children and had tried unsuccessfully to leave the abusive relationship. It was not until she was stabbed in the arm and cut on the neck in front of her children, Bobbie Jo took her children to a domestic violence shelter in Big Bear and found some refuge in classes on dysfunctional families and therapy. She was hesitant to testify against her husband but realized she had no choice when they informed her that he was going to be released.

No longer using drugs but still drinking, Bobbie Jo finally got her first apartment at age 26. Sadly, she was soon reintroduced to speed by a co-worker. Her apartment became the scene of many parties, and she was also dealing drugs. Her neighbors consistently complained, and the police visited regularly. “I had an inheritance of $56,000, which I blew through in six months. I used some of that money to send my kids to my ex-husband’s sister in Mexico for a short vacation. As the result of a family member’s dishonesty, my children were trapped there for ten months,” Bobbie Jo remembers. “I wanted to clean myself up before they came back.” Instead, Bobbie Jo’s drug use escalated as she tried to get her kids back. She lost her apartment and became homeless.” I stopped talking to my kids. It was too hard,” she says. “I was doing ecstasy and whatever drugs I could get; I had no one for support.”

Bobbie Jo ended up moving in with a man she met. At that time, her sister was trying to facilitate Bobbie Jo’s children’s move back from deep in Mexico. She was eventually successful. However, Bobbie Jo’s outstanding warrants caught up with her in an ironic way. “I woke up one morning to deputies and guns,” she says. “I was arrested on Mother’s Day, and I didn’t even realize it.” A further irony was that she was being arrested at the moment her kids were coming back to the U.S. It was bittersweet.

Bobbie Jo’s life patterns kept repeating, and she met another man and became pregnant. The ironic timing was repeated as well. “I was then arrested on a warrant in San Bernardino.” The man she was dating was now taking care of her three children. “I used to tell men that I was damaged goods,” she exclaims. “When I was in jail, I found out I was pregnant again.” This situation spiraled down as her boyfriend was arrested for stealing cars. Out of jail with no place to go, Bobbie Jo and her children moved from motel to shelter to motel. When her boyfriend was released, they managed to find an affordable apartment. She had her baby and isolated herself. “I was trying to stay sober,” Bobbie Jo says.

With her fourth child just four months old, Bobbie Jo relapsed again. Not surprisingly, there were domestic violence issues again. “He went back to jail, and I lost the apartment. It was then I realized that I had a problem with speed and needed help,” Bobbie Jo admits.

Still using drugs and bouncing from friend to friend, her sister had given up on Bobbie Jo. While at a shelter in Skid Row, someone called the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Her three oldest children were at her sister’s, and her baby was with her at a shelter. DCFS approached Bobbie Jo and her baby daughter and realized the obvious; Bobbie Jo was under the influence of drugs. They took custody of her baby and all three of her children living with her sister. Bobbie Jo’s children were separated and placed in homes in Corona, Lancaster, Granada Hills, and West L.A. Bobbie Jo made the commitment to become sober and drug-free on June 13, 2014. “That’s the moment I changed,” Bobbie Jo says. “I was hanging out on San Pedro Street in Skid Row, crying.”

Knowing the only direction left to go was up, Bobbie Jo found a 12-step program and began working the program at Mini-House to achieve complete sobriety. By September, having stayed drug and alcohol-free and employed, she was awarded custody of her baby daughter by the judge. “I didn’t want my baby to affect my program, so I found a daycare for her. She was comfortable there from the first time I took her,” Bobbie Jo says. “I was six months inpatient before going into sober living. That was the process.”

Through her 12-step work at Mini-House, Bobbie Jo encountered Rebecca, her ‘sobriety sister.’ Rebecca was in HomeLight Family Living, a program offered by The Midnight Mission to families transitioning out of homelessness. “My 12-step sponsor requested a referral, and my DCFS worker was very helpful,” Bobbie Jo remembers. “It was hard for me. I had never had all four of my kids while sober. I remember moving in on October 15, and my youngest daughter saw the playground and was so excited. It felt normal like it was my home.”

Safe, secure, and sober in The Midnight Mission’s HomeLight Family Living Program, Bobbie Jo was able to get a job to support her four children. She learned how to be a good mother to her two sons and two daughters, who ranged in age from five to eighteen years at that time. She was able to attend meetings and work with her sponsor. She was finally able to become a fully functional member of society.

After leaving HomeLight, Bobbie Jo worked to help people on general release find employment. She helped them develop and write resumes. Bobbie Jo also assisted them in a job search. She loved her job helping people, but she needed a higher paying job to ensure she would not return to homelessness.

Because she completed the job-readiness program herself, Bobbie Jo was given new opportunities. She was accepted into a paid internship with the LA Medical Coroner’s office as a property custodian. Anytime anyone is brought into the coroner’s office, their property is picked up and inventoried. Bobbie Jo witnesses the inventory and then creates a letter for the next of kin to release the items to their care. The most satisfying part of her job is helping those who have lost a loved one through this process. She has found being helpful in a tough time gives families comfort.

The internship at the LA County Coroner’s office is for two years. Upon completion, Bobbie Jo hopes to have a permanent position with the county. For the first time in her life, she has a job with medical insurance and a 401K. These benefits are beyond what Bobbie Jo imagined for her life. To get a permanent position would enable her to buy her own home for her family.

In addition to work, Bobbie Jo continues to better herself. She is studying to complete her GED. She also continues to work a 12-step program to grow spiritually. While striving toward these goals, Bobbie Jo was presented with an opportunity to be of service to her father. When her Dad had health complications, Bobbie Jo decided to have him move into her apartment.

Bobbie Jo said she sometimes wakes up and thinks she must be dreaming because her life is so great today. It is better than she could have ever imagined, and she can’t wait to see what the next chapters bring. She knows if she does the footwork and leaves the results up to God, everything will be wonderful.

“I am forever grateful to The Midnight Mission for programs like this. I was given a chance when I really needed it.”

For more information on HomeLight Family Living, visit www.midnightmission.org/homelight.

In the years since he started volunteering at The Midnight Mission in 2002, Hal Bookbinder has expanded his Jobs Interviewing Skills Workshop from a three to five session course to a twelve session course. He has also taken his course to our HomeLight Family Living facility. At HomeLight, he teaches a nine-session course to the adults in our program. Hal said, “Fellow volunteers help me teach the classes, conduct mock interviews and assist participants with their resumes.” Hal enjoys what he does, “I believe we are helping the participants in their professional progress and continued sobriety. This is highly rewarding to me.”

Hal’s course at The Midnight Mission targets participants who have demonstrated progress in their 12-step recovery. They gain valuable knowledge to get them ready for work from identifying their target job, interview preparation, social media and networking to success on the job itself. Hal emphasizes, “Addiction is not the defining characteristic of the participants. It is one factor, but they have so many strengths and potential on which they can build.” Hal proudly points to the fact that 80% of his course graduates leave The Midnight employed. “I feel enriched by seeing others recognize their value and succeed.”

When he is not helping those in recovery put down new roots, Hal enjoys genealogy, where he studies his family roots. “I speak at conferences and genealogical meetings and have led various genealogical organizations.” Reflecting on his childhood, Hal notes, “My grandparents and parents owned various small hospitality businesses, including bars. The debilitating impacts of addiction on customers, friends and family members made a lasting impression on me.”

With that firsthand understanding of addiction, Hal points to one of his proudest moments at The Midnight Mission. “In 2009, the Ventura County Star ran an article on the program in which a participant stated that before taking the course, he didn’t think he was good enough to get a job. He said, “I learned how to pass an interview, build confidence in myself and stay positive on job search going through Hal’s class. Hal made me see that I am somebody regardless of my addiction or previous life experiences. I would be dead or in jail if it weren’t for The Midnight Mission and Hal.” “The Midnight Mission’s structured program helped him get his life back,” Hal says.

For more information on our programs, visit www.midnightmission.org.

Shawn O’Neal, TMM Alumnus

James Denning, TMM Alumnus

Abel Soto, TMM Alumnus

Qantra, HomeLight Family Living Participant

Mario O., TMM Alumnus

Aundria Murray, Child of HomeLight Alumnus

Lorena R., HomeLight Program Participant

Collins Law Group

Melanie, HomeLight Participant

Stephanie, HomeLight Alumnus

Veronica, Program Participant

Torrey T., TMM Alumnus

Frankie Navarro, TMM Employee and Alumnus

Richard C., TMM Access Center Client

Peter M., TMM Alumnus

Mason W., Program Participant

Ricky B., Program Participant

Wendy Nguyen, TMM Volunteer

Bruce T., Program Participant

Vernell G., Program Participant

John Adams, TMM Participant

Darrell Smith, TMM Alumnus and Employee

Stanley Gibbs, TMM Participant

Marcus Butler, TMM Alumnus and Employee

Ben Shirley, TMM Alumnus

Jon Lewis, TMM Alumnus

Edward Coleman, TMM Alumnus

Andrew Linares, TMM Alumnus and Employee

Stacy Dozier, TMM Participant

Kevin Mitchell, TMM Participant

Angela De Los Santos, TMM Alumnus

Clancy Imislund, TMM Managing Director (1974-2020)

James Farr, TMM Alumnus & Staff Member

Susie Siverts, TMM Volunteer

Logan Hobson, TMM Alumnus

Tee Tee Ware, TMM Alumnus

Ron Koretz, TMM Board Member

Jessyka Quintero, TMM Staff Member

Brian, TMM Participant

Antonio Haygood, TMM Alumnus

Aaron, TMM Participant

Laura Hand, TMM Volunteer

Franklin, TMM Participant

Florian, TMM Participant

Paul Castillo, TMM Participant

Gary, TMM Participant

Marcos, TMM Participant

Dusty, TMM Participant

Stephanie Moya, HomeLight Participant

Marvin, TMM Participant

Jorge, TMM Participant

Wanda Lee, TMM Volunteer

Doug, TMM Participant

Gregory, TMM Participant

Stormy, TMM Participant

Donald Holt, TMM Chief Operating Officer

Albert Rivas, TMM Participant

Wendy Ordower, TMM Volunteer

Michelle Hill, HomeLight Participant

Matt Nelson, TMM Participant

Sara Gabriel, HomeLight Alumnus

David Abrego, TMM Alumnus

Floyd Davis, TMM Alumnus

Joey Weinert, TMM Alumnus & Former Staff Member

Georgia Berkovich, TMM Volunteer to Staff Member

David Prentice, TMM Employee

Randy V., TMM Alumnus

Bobbie Jo Alva, HomeLight Alumnus

Hal Bookbinder, TMM Volunteer

Doris Starling, TMM Staff Member