Lasandra
Lasandra came to Turlock Gospel Mission expecting to receive the basics, such as food and clothing. When she left, not only did she have a full stomach and clean outfit, but she was equipped with the tools necessary to succeed both personally and professionally.
Several years ago, Lasandra was involved in a car accident that took both her job and her home. She survived by living in her car, but then found out she was pregnant. “That baby was the only good thing in my life at that time,” she recalls. Fortunately, Lasandra’s mother introduced her daughter and future grandchild to Turlock Gospel Mission.
While she wasn’t struggling with addiction and she had a loving family, Lasandra needed the basics… nutritious meals, clean clothes and shoes. “The staff at Turlock Gospel Mission were loving, helpful… they got me to where I am now,” Lasandra says. “Without their help, I wouldn’t have survived. I didn’t have the ‘know how’ to make it on my own, much less with a new baby.” At the Mission, Lasandra also got help enrolling in nursing classes and getting her scrubs uniform.
“I’m really thankful for the Mission’s help,” she says. Lasandra stays in touch, while living with her best friend and staying home with her baby. “Once my daughter is older, I’ll have the tools I need to return to work.” A restored life like Lasandra’s is at the core of why Turlock Gospel Mission exists. We seek to meet individuals where they are at and come alongside them as they make positive choices toward a better future.