Home Start Success Stories
Over the past 50 years, Home Start has served over 500,000 children and families across San Diego County. Through a diverse array of programs, Home Start provides wraparound services to San Diego's most vulnerable children and families. Enjoy some of the inspiring and uplifting stories from past and present clients in the videos below.
Video Stories
More In-Depth Stories
A Family Reunited: How Home Start Helps Children Heal Through Supervised Visitation
When Allen, one of Home Start’s dedicated Family Visitation Specialists, first met the Johnson family, their situation was fragile. Their two boys, ages 9 and 12, hadn’t been able to spend meaningful time with their parents in quite some time. The courts required supervised visitation, and the family was referred to Home Start for help […]
Read More
Oyuki’s Path to Stability: Finding Hope, Home, and Her Beloved Dog
When Oyuki first connected with Home Start and Light, her Housing Navigator, this young woman carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. She grew up without stable housing, often unsure where she and her family might sleep next. Still, Oyuki worked tirelessly, often holding down two jobs to support herself and her loved […]
Read More
Finding Common Ground: A Father’s Journey Back to Connection
When a father newly arrived in San Diego found his daughters resisting the traditions and language he cherished, he worried they were drifting too far from their roots. His efforts to keep them connected—strict study routines, limited activities, and rising expectations—only deepened the tension at home. What began as love slowly grew into frustration, leaving […]
Read More
Family Visitation: A Mother’s Journey to Reunification and Renewal
After years of enduring domestic violence, battling addiction, and experiencing homelessness, Macie found herself separated from her two children-a baby girl and a school-aged boy-who were placed in foster care. When Home Start staff member Yvette first contacted Macie for visitation services, she declined, overwhelmed by the weight of court-ordered programs and existing county visits. […]
Read More
From Fear to Freedom: Jane’s Journey Toward Healing and Hope
When Jane Doe first arrived at Home Start in December 2022, she was in crisis. A survivor of domestic violence, she had found the courage to seek help and was placed in our Bridge Housing program for immediate safety and support. But safety can be fleeting when you’re trying to escape abuse. Just weeks later, […]
Read More
Home Start Success Story – Elyse
Twelve-year-old Elyce and her mother sought therapy from Home Start after Elyce experienced racially motivated bullying so severely that she had to transfer to a remote school due to high anxiety and panic attacks. Elyce disclosed thoughts of suicide and self-injurious behaviors. She also experienced sleep disturbance, pervasive negative thoughts, and social anxiety so severe […]
Read More
Home Start Success Story – Sean and Noah
Though Father’s Day was last weekend, we have a special story highlighting one exceptional dad who is on the road to a happy and healthy life with his son after learning key parenting skills from our Community Services for Families (CSF) Program. Sean is a teen dad to one-year-old Noah. At the beginning of Sean’s […]
Read More
Nurturing Resilience: A Heartwarming Journey of Healing with Home-Start Behavioral Health
Meet Niles, a spirited 5-year-old boy on a transformative journey towards healing, love, and resilience. Niles currently resides with his great-grandma Fran, great-grandpa Joe, his aunt Maggie, and his 3-year-old brother Brighton. Their story, though filled with challenges, is a testament to the power of support and therapeutic intervention. Niles’s Story: A Tale of Resilience […]
Read More
Client Success Story: A Mother’s Quest for Support
At Home Start, we believe in the power of transformation, and Beth’s journey with us is a testament to the impact that your support can have on the lives of those in need. Beth’s Story: A Mother’s Quest for Support Beth, a resilient single mother to two young children, reached out to Home Start seeking […]
Read More
Meet Susana – A Home Start Success Story
It’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month And we have an inspiring success story of “Susana,” a domestic violence surivivor Susanna came to Home Start after fleeing from a domestic violence incident in another state. Alone and pregnant in San Diego, she first bounced between hotels and shelters before meeting our Domestic Violence Housing Specialist, Jordan, in […]
Read More
A Healing Place for Sisters – Veronica and Sam’s Story
More than anything, “Susan” wanted to help her daughters heal from their trauma. It broke her heart to see your girls suffering. Fortunately, she found out about Home Start’s Behavioral Health Services program. She first enrolled her older daughter Sam into our program and saw her make great progress and healing. Soon she enrolled her […]
Read More
Meet Michael – A Home Start Success Story
“Michael” was born into a world of trauma and chaos, with much of his early years being surrounded by unpredictability and inconsistency. He lived in a home with parents who struggled with substance use; resulting in his being neglected and not receiving the love, nurturing, and attention needed at his young age. At two years […]
Read More
Meet Valerie
Valerie entered Home Start’s First 5 First Steps Program when she was 18 years old and pregnant, living in a maternity home and newly out of high school. She was alone with no support. After being referred to Home Start by a case worker who helped her get on her feet, Valerie made a commitment […]
Read More
Luciana’s Story
Luciana is the mother to a sweet 9-month-old daughter who was referred by Child Welfare Services to Home Start’s Family Visitation Program. Luciana has faced many struggles, including substance abuse. Ever since participating in Home Start’s Family Visitation Program, her interactions and parenting techniques with her daughter have immensely improved. She attends Child and Family […]
Read More
Justin’s Story
Justin began working with Home Start’s Community Services for Families In-home Parenting Program after his two boys, Junior and AJ, were removed from their mother’s home. The boys had been living in a home surrounded by substance abuse, disrepair, and the selling of illegal substances. Justin was unaware of the conditions his two boys were […]
Read More
Meet Chandra
Home Start’s Bright Futures Candles employee “Chandra” grew up in the foster system. Throughout her childhood, she would have to jump from one foster home to another. After turning 18, Chandra was able to utilize transitional housing. However, she was unfortunately kicked out of her transitional housing program. This is when she was connected with […]
Read More
Meet Pam
“Pam” was struggling to sleep at night, worrying about not having any money to buy groceries for her children. She was going through a painful separation from her husband. Her income alone wasn’t enough to cover rent and utilities. Pam felt hopeless and extra-anxious – she didn’t even have money to purchase milk for her […]
Read More
Client Success Story: Anna (Domestic Violence Survivor)
“Anna” came to us in 2020 after fleeing a domestic violence relationship with the father of her toddler, James. Anna, a teenager, enrolled in Home Start’s Community Services for Families program and her Case Manager Maria, guided her in escaping domestic violence and starting her journey toward healthy parenting and relationships. Sadly, domestic violence was […]
Read More
Home Start Client Success Story: Stacey
Stacey, recent Home Start Thrift Boutique Lead Associate, is living proof that our Maternity Housing Program (MHP) and its Thrift Boutique Social Enterprise are changing lives. Finding Help Exiting the foster system after 10 years, Stacey became homeless and pregnant, and thankfully found Home Start. Her options were either get a job while pregnant, risking […]
Read More
Client Success Story: Jasmine & Jeremy
“A Car Is Not A Home….” Feeling alone and afraid, Jasmine laid awake thinking, “A car is not a home for me and my son.” She did not know where to turn and her options appeared limited. Thankfully, her family physician stepped in and referred her to Home Start. Now, a year later, Jasmine and […]
Read More