“The Mission didn’t just give me shelter. It gave me hope, healing and a reason to live.”
Margaret’s childhood was defined by both love and loss. Moments with her father were happy, but her mother’s substance abuse drew Margaret into drugs by age 12. Years of broken trust, poor choices and dangerous living followed – until she found herself sleeping under a bridge and crying to God for help. That desperate prayer led her to City Rescue Mission…and a new life.
For years, Margaret’s path was shaped by substance abuse. She was forced to grow up too fast trying to take care of her mother who battled substance abuse. As she cared for others, Margaret’s own needs, including her mental health, went unmet. Eventually, Margaret turned to substances to self-medicate.
“I never wanted to get sober. The only time I was clean was when I was in jail.”
Prison time, abusive relationships, and drug-related crises fueled a years-long downward spiral. Even after a car accident left her with disabilities, she wasn’t able to end her destructive habits.
Margaret drifted into homelessness, living in the woods and under bridges, and in constant fear for her life. But she had nowhere else to go. She and her father were now estranged. Her mom had passed away. And her sister, who once had been a stabilizing force in Margaret’s life, no longer trusted her. “I felt like I had no one. I thought I’d die out there.”
One morning, exhausted from another sleepless night, she looked up to the sky and cried out to God, “How did I get here?” And she prayed for His help. That’s when she learned about City Rescue Mission.
Margaret arrived with only the clothes on her back and a heart f illed with gratitude for the safety she found inside our doors. “I could finally sleep in peace – I knew no one was going to hurt me or steal from me.”
Through the Mission’s Christ-centered LifeBuilders program, Margaret has embraced Bible study, life-skills development and workforce development. She has also renewed her faith in the Lord. “I know He always has my back.”
And she cherishes the community she’s found at the Mission to support her sobriety – friendships from classes, Spiritled mentors and other women walking the same journey. She calls them anchors that keep her steady: “Even hard days feel different now, because I no longer face them alone.”
Of all the blessings she’s found at the Mission, the greatest is having her sister back. Their bond – once broken by years of substance abuse – has been restored, filling her life with love, trust and family again. “Now we talk several times a day, and I get to babysit my niece and nephew. I live for them now.” Looking ahead, Margaret hopes to move into safe housing through the Mission’s Homes of Hope and continue building a faith-filled foundation for her future. With disability benefits secured and long-needed health care in reach, she finally has stability, and she’s trusting God to guide the next steps.