Being homeless in the Cold and Rain Almost Ended Sandra’s Life

Meet Sandra

Sandra grew up with her brother and sisters in Mission Hills. Her twin sister was the outgoing one. Sandra was the quiet one and lived in her shadow. Sandra has struggled with an addiction to drugs and alcohol for most of her life. She had her first drink at the age of 13 and tried cocaine at 18 years old. She has had seasons of sobriety and been in and out of homelessness for more than 10 years. 

Sandra’s Journey

Sandra has seen her friends die from drug overdoses on the streets. She has been a victim of theft and violence many times. “The cold, rainy weather is the hardest part of being homeless,” says Sandra. During the recent rain storms she became very ill, and Her friend took her to Providence Holy Cross where she was diagnosed with pneumonia. 

The caring staff at Holy Cross provided outstanding care and connected her to Harbor Care to recover in a safe and warm environment. 

How Harbor Helped Sandra

Sandra was overwhelmed by the care and attention she received at Harbor Care. “I was so happy to discover you have recovery meetings here on Saturdays,” says Sandra. She has been sober for two months and has been encouraging the other Harbor Care residents to attend the meetings and pursue sobriety.  

“They take such good care of us. We have our own beds and TVs and clean towels. We can take showers here. It’s the best food. There’s coffee and snacks,” she proclaimed. 

Our case managers were able to get Sandra placed in a structured living environment in North Hollywood where she can be close to her family and continue her recovery.