If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies – Anonymous I had the pleasure to sit and chat with Adrianna, a graduate of Saint John’s Program for Real Change, and soon came to realize that she is an incredible example of how to overcome adversity through perseverance and faith. My first thought, upon hearing…
Read MoreWendy’s Story
“It started with the electricity being turned off,” says Wendy, a mom of two and a resident of the Saint John’s Program for Real Change. Within one month of the lights going off, Child Protective Services (CPS) showed up at the kids’ school even though they were both showered and fed. What could have precipitated…
Read MoreKaira’s Story
As we begin a new year I would like to invite you to meet someone who has given me a completely different perspective on my life. And this is by no means a temporary effect, it is daily. I think about her daily. When I visited the program at Saint John’s in December I had…
Read MoreNatisha’s Story
“I had a happy childhood,” Natisha began. It was an upbringing she shared with two half siblings, her mom and her grandmother – both functioning substance abusers, a habit Natisha would seemingly inherit years later as she veered away from her happy beginnings down what was soon to become a dark path. At 18, following…
Read MoreSimona’s Story
Jan. 2016 – Simona had hit rock bottom—emotionally and financially. The crash was painful. Over the course of 16 days, she had left an abusive boyfriend and watched her father take his last breath. Then she did what she had always thought was elusive, she stopped drinking. Simona finally faced herself brutally and honestly. She…
Read MoreChef Arturo Vargas Brings in the New Year!
This January, we welcome Chef Arturo Vargas as our first Guest Chef for Saint John’s Guest Chef Dinner Series! “Teaching and cooking has been my lifetime commitment and passion from the beginning, in Mexico and beyond. After learning about Saint John’s Program for Real Change, meeting some of the wonderful residents, and touring their beautiful…
Read MoreSanta Joe is Coming to Town!
“I had an alternative sentencing from the Sacramento Court for an expired registration. Instead of paying the fine, they gave me 10 hours of community service. The court handed me a list of all of the different places to choose from, and I chose the closest one to my house… Saint John’s.” Little did Joe…
Read MoreTeach a Person to Fish & They Eat for a Lifetime
I heard about Saint John’s from a couple at my church, Fair Oaks Presbyterian, who have been helping prepare and serve dinner at Saint John’s for 10+ years. They bring various family and friends with them to serve the monthly taco night at Saint John’s, which I have heard is one of the clients’ favorite…
Read MoreHomeAid Sacramento-People Building the Way Home
Saint John’s Program for Real Change is known for inspiring almost magical, personal transformations within the women and children who temporarily call its facilities “home.” Living and learning in the safe and nurturing environment of the sanctuary buildings and grounds, Saint John’s Program participants enjoy the support they need to rebuild and transition their lives….
Read MoreFamily & Relationship Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The meaning of domestic violence and our struggle to understand, intervene, and treat the injury and aftermath continues to evolve.
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