Idaliz

“The world is a dark place and people can get lost on the streets. If it wasn’t for the Mission, I’d be in a much worse place. I wouldn’t have a way to make money for us to eat. This place is wonderful. Everything you learn here will make your life better.” Idaliz was born in Puerto Rico where she got a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, but giving birth to a son in 2016 kept her from getting a good job, and complicated her life. When her son’s father left Puerto Rico for the U.S. and took their son with him, she followed him, but when she got here, “Our relationship was bad. He didn’t want me to work or to have contact with anyone else. I had to stay in the house all day, and he abused me.” Unable to take it any longer, she left him.

Not knowing where to turn, she found a policeman who took her to The Women and Children’s Shelter. “I was really scared. In Puerto Rico, the shelters aren’t good. I was expecting a place I could only stay one night and then have to go, but it was nothing like that. This is a safe haven. The people here are kind, humble, and want you to grow. They gave me clothes, food, and bus passes to get to the doctor and other appointments; just everything I needed for my personal care. They even helped me find a lawyer to help get custody of my son. They gave me the right to be a mother again!” The staff helped Idaliz get a job as a phlebotomist (medical screener) and gave her bus passes to go to work until she got her first paycheck. Last December she moved into her own apartment. Four months later, she got custody of her precious little boy.