Originally from Missouri, Sherry* made her way to California in 1987 from Colorado just before the Whittier Narrows earthquake shook the Los Angeles area. “I had never in my life experienced an earthquake…So, as soon as it stopped…I went back to Denver.”

Ten years later, she returned to California to work, maintaining several jobs, until she found herself in a precarious position. “I actually came here because I was short on my rent.” Though she was a dedicated employee, working over three years and at times working graveyard shifts, her income wasn’t always stable since it was mostly based on tips. On top of that, she had a credit history she was trying to redeem. “I didn’t want my credit to mess up that bad…so I just decided to move on out and kind of save my credit.” Faced with the situation, she knew she’d need to locate some temporary resources. 

 Sherry came to the Union Rescue Mission in February 2004. “When I first got here, of course, anybody coming down here, they know they’re in a homeless position.” Sherry utilized many of the emergency services and was thankful for the kindness and generosity shown to her. But Sherry grew unhappy, knowing she needed more than food, clothing, and shelter to move out of homelessness. “But once I found out about a program…opportunities they had here that would help me grow and be able to get back upon my feet,” she was filled with hope and joined the Women’s Program. With all of her past administrative work experience and eagerness to learn, Sherry quickly was maximizing the opportunities given to her.  She gained work experience through the Bank of America Learning Center  and the Women’s Contact Office.

After completing the program in 2005, she worked as an Administrative Assistant at a resort in Riverside County, until eventually being accepted to the Americorps. Amazingly, she was placed with the Americorps chapter in Skid Row called Hope for the Homeless. During the length of the her commitment, Sherry played an integral role in recruiting volunteers for local Skid Row service providers and overall outreach and education to the community, pulling from her experience of homelessness. Meanwhile, Sherry always kept Union Rescue Mission close to her heart. “The Union Rescue Mission had gave me so much hope and so much opportunity to get back on my feet.” 

In 2004, we interviewed Sherry and asked her what she hoped for when she finished the program. “Mainly a job here as staff – that’s what I want. I want to get my own place and be stable enough to pay for it.”
 
Today in 2007, Sherry is working at the contact window as an Intake Coordinator, being the first person the homeless women and children see when they come for help. “I always go back to when I had to come to that window and the people at the window were courteous. So, I try to be that courteous, that helpful and that Christ-like with every person that I see [come] to the window.”  Sherry is a success story; living in a one-bedroom apartment, trusting herself to afford and pay her bills and working full-time for the place she always hoped she’d get a chance to give back to Union Rescue Mission. 

 “It feels so good to be back up on [my] feet… It took awhile, but I was patient, trusted in God, and the people here helped me to get to that point because they cared.”