It seemed like Isaac and Felisha were destined to struggle all their lives. Isaac grew up in a violent, gang-influenced neighborhood in southern Colorado, where he survived two attempts on his life. Felisha experienced childhood sexual abuse, followed by years of drug addiction and time spent in prison for drug possession. But when Isaac became a single father at 18, and Felisha a single mother at 21, they were determined to change. That’s when they met, in 2011, and soon decided to get married.“We just happened to meet at the right time, when we both needed each other,” Felisha says. “Isaac gave me the safety and security I needed.”But their struggles continued. When Isaac injured a shoulder and knee, and couldn’t work, their finances became stretched. Worse, because of Felisha”s felony record, they had trouble finding housing in Colorado Springs. “It was a huge problem. We just couldn’t find a place to live,” Felisha says.

Getting the Real Support They Needed

That’s when the young couple found Springs Rescue Mission’s Family Mentor Alliance, which provides mentoring and financial assistance to families transitioning from homelessness to stable housing.“They put together a team of eight advisors from a local church for us,” Isaac says. “They not only helped us achieve financial stability, they helped us become better people and gave us a tighter bond in our family.”

For two years, the mentoring team also helped the couple navigate issues related to Felisha’s felony record, and today they’re in the process of buying their own home. But that’s not what Felisha’s most grateful for.“Homelessness was really hard on our kids,” she says. “Springs Rescue Mission not only supported them, they always made them feel special and gave them something to smile about. That will always stand out for me.”