Growing up in Moreno Valley was not easy for 26 year-old Sarah W. Her life was dictated by domestic violence, depression, and anxiety. Her mother was not stable, her father was prone to violence, and her grandmother was experiencing schizophrenia. Couch-surfing with her mother to escape the violence at home, bullied at school for being overweight, and feeling suicidal was the norm for Sarah.

After graduating from high school, Sarah went to beauty school but had to drop out due to a lack of funds. Tired of the hostility from her mother’s family, Sarah moved into a shelter on her own. It was there she was given the information for Michael’s Village. Sarah has lived at Michael’s Village for the past three years. She now attends Los Angeles Trade School for Estheticians. Her relationship with her father is a work in progress and Sarah looks forward to the day she can take care of her mom. Sarah sums up her life, “It’s OK to cry as long as you don’t give up.”

Close to 60,000 individuals are living in Los Angeles without a home. Simply: there are not enough affordable places for people to live. We are in the midst of a housing shortage and homeless crisis. About 30% of these individuals have a serious and untreated #mentalhealth condition. These are the individuals Step Up serves with great success. We help them reconnect with their personal power.

Donate today, you have the power to #MakeADifference: https://bit.ly/2PDHVrA