Teens and families come to Laurel House in a state of crisis. Our teens’ parents are often struggling with their own serious issues, preventing them from providing healthy family dynamics.
Sadly, these teens often cope with the chaos at home by turning to drugs and alcohol, running away, or skipping school.
Here at Laurel House, our focus is to keep these teens off the streets and safe from harm’s way, while bringing restoration to the whole family.
Thanks to your support, this year we saw young lives restored and families strengthened through Laurel House. Alexis and her mom’s story is just one example of the lives that have been transformed.
In 2018, Alexis’s dad abandoned her and her family for drugs and another woman. Alexis’s mom, Jane, became a single mom of four young children and now lives at Orange County Rescue Mission’s transitional homeless shelter.
That summer, in 2018, Alexis’s friends at school offered her drugs. She became addicted at just 12 years old.
“When I got to the 6th grade, I was disrespecting all my teachers and getting kicked out of classes,” Alexis shared. “During this time, I also started self-harming and attempted to kill myself.”
Dealing with the chaos of her husband leaving and the family becoming homeless, Jane was in survival mode. Alexis wasn’t receiving the attention and support that she desperately needed.
When Alexis was suspended from school for having marijuana in her backpack, the school counselor referred her to Laurel House. For the first time in years, Alexis is beginning to thrive.
“When I first got here,” Alexis shared, “everyone was so nice and loving. My grades started rising. I started to change my bad habits.”
Alexis especially loves the tutoring, counseling, and life-enriching activities. “Laurel House has helped me improve my relationship with my mom and my family,” Alexis shared. “In counseling, I can discuss my hurts and resentments with my mom and show how I actually feel.”
Jane is also going through her own healing process. Living only a few miles away at the Rescue Mission, Jane is working through her own addiction issues while gaining valuable job skills to be able to provide for her family.
In parent coaching sessions, Jane learned how to comfort and nurture Alexis, while also disciplining her and drawing appropriate boundaries. “I had to relearn how to be a parent and not be just a friend,” Jane shared.
Alexis now has weekend passes to visit her mom and sisters at the Rescue Mission. With Alexis taking the right steps forward, and Jane scheduled to enter the job search phase of the Rescue Mission’s program, this family is on track to reunify early next year!
Thank you for helping families like Alexis and Jane. Your partnership is truly making a difference in so many lives, and we could not do it without you.