Stories

After Rickie finished high school in Lompoc and got his music degree from community college, he married, and the couple moved to New Orleans. Rickie’s wife was earning her law

When Robert’s parents divorced when he was 16, things started to change for the teenager. Robert had enjoyed an uneventful childhood, growing up in Santa Barbara, and then Lompoc, with

In January 2020, in one of the first devotions of the year, I talked with the participants in our Life Recovery Program about being grateful. My New Year’s resolution was

I want to say how grateful I am to our donors, volunteers, participants and staff who are committed so dearly to feeding people during the holidays. Our Thanksgiving banquet was

Back in April 2018, Jairo ended up at the Mission—and he wasn’t happy about it. He was coming off of a six-month sentence for burglary charges, and was court-ordered to

Although COVID-19 has caused us to shift our plans a bit as we consider the safety of those we serve, we remain committed to provide Thanksgiving meals during a time

Nicolas was born in Mexico and came to the United States when he was 15 with his brothers and his mother. “I started going to school and working at the

When Chuck reflects on his upbringing in Santa Maria, he has nothing but positive things to say. The decisions he made are on him. “I grew up in a good

Don’s issues with alcohol started early, in high school, but if anyone noticed, they turned a blind eye. “I grew up in Iowa in a lower- to middle-class family,” Don

Tony’s parents came from Mexico before he was born, and he was born and raised in Santa Maria. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he said. “I’m the oldest, and