It truly takes a village to do what we do here at Saint John’s Program for Real Change. Behind the red doors at Saint John’s is an exceptional group of community supporters, donors, volunteers, and staff united in an effort to reduce homelessness in our community. These incredible partners support women who refuse to settle…
Read MorePatricia’s Journey
Patricia’s journey to taking charge of her own life began when she made the decision to escape an abusive relationship that had held her captive for 4 years. Leaving Sacramento, her hometown, she found refuge in Missouri living with her dad. However, the emotional toll of the abuse followed her and not being able to…
Read MoreA Different Kind of Change
When asked what life was like before coming to Saint John’s, Brittany doesn’t hesitate to say, “I was addicted and co-dependent in New York City.” She grew up in Sacramento and received a scholarship to the New York School of Film and Television, with her heart set on acting. After graduating, she needed a job…
Read MoreDeep Water
Tracy is no stranger to deep waters. She spent a happy childhood with her family on the Jersey Shore and moved to the Bay Area at 13. She traveled with them “across the pond” to venture through Europe at 18. She even went scuba diving with them in Mexico. And while those waters hold sweet…
Read MorePoverty and Childhood
This month’s blog is written by the son of one of our staff members, Jessica. Jessica and her son Dwayne were residents at Saint John’s when Dwayne was just a young boy. Today, Jessica is employed at Saint John’s full-time as a Client Services Coordinator and Dwayne is a student at Sierra College. As I’m…
Read MoreCreating a New Kind of Home
When I first met Vanessa in 2019, what struck me most was her quiet confidence. She appeared calm when focusing on her five children (ages 2-9), composed when encountering customers at Plates Café, and projected an overall sense of being in total control. Little did I know the true story behind Vanessa’s kind eyes. When…
Read MoreCasie’s Real Change
“I can’t believe the change in me!” Those are the first words out of her mouth as Casie J. shares with me her experience at Saint John’s. Struggling with addiction and lured into drug dealing by the money to be made, Casie’s life began to spiral after her divorce. She’d had a history of periods…
Read MoreDistance Learning – The Return of the One-Room School House
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I dreamed about what it would be like to run a one-room school house, like on Little House on the Prairie. Little did I know that I would one day do just that, but in a very different way, in a very…
Read MoreThe Luckiest Year
It is Chinese New Year 2020, the Year of the Rat, and a cold, dark January evening here in Sacramento. Rats, as I have read in Chinese lore, represent resilience and rat years are supposed to be years of rejuvenation and renewal. I see this as a positive sign as I head out to meet…
Read MoreCCTRP in the Days of COVID
Like every other part of our lives in the days of Pandemic 2020, life at Saint John’s Custody to Community Transitional Reentry Program (CCTRP) has found a new status quo. Everything has been affected from the way clients arrive, the daily chores, classes, employment, shopping, schooling, and even when they leave.
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