Celebrating Recovery

SAN DIEGO – ECS' clients are the heart of everything ECS does. Every staff member’s focus, each service offered, and every penny raised goes back to breaking barriers and uplifting neighbors in need. Last Thursday, ECS celebrated its clients with its annual Thanksgiving Recovery Lunch. 

Volunteers serve a Thanksgiving meal. November 2025.

The lunch was hosted at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Volunteers from St. Mark’s, Enterprise Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, Ciprus Consulting, Christ Church Day School, and individual sign-ups made the day possible, helping to prepare the church, providing appetizers and desserts, and greeting and serving the guests. The students from Christ Church Day School even created a gratitude art project for guests to participate. 

The Recovery Lunch celebrates community. November 2025.

Guests included clients from Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC), C-HRT Safe Haven, and Uptown Safe Haven. Some clients also brought family members to join in the celebration.

Renee, a CERRC client, attended the recovery lunch for the first time. “I’m just excited to be here and have new beginnings and second chances to be able to start a new future,” she said. “They [ECS staff] really genuinely care about us and want us to succeed.” Renee is 82 days clean as of the time of the recovery lunch. 

Guests add what they are thankful for to the gratitude art project. November 2025.

Everyone in attendance – from the guests and volunteers to ECS staff and leadership – enjoyed a full Thanksgiving meal together and commemorated the recovery journeys of so many in the room with a chip ceremony. 

Recovery chips were given anyone in the room who had achieved any amount of recovery. Whether someone was celebrating years of sobriety or weeks, the room cheered on their admirable accomplishment. 

Clients, volunteers, staff, and leadership enjoy a Thanksgiving-style feast together. November 2025.

The community aspect of the lunch is what makes the event so special. Sarah, a C-HRT resident shared her view on creating community. “It’s important to show up and contribute and be there to support the community,” she said. Sarah is passionate about helping others and is excited to be an ECS volunteer in the future as a way to give back.   

A huge thank you to St. Mark’s and Fr. Richard for hosting the lunch once again. ECS Recovery Lunch is always a day of celebration, community, and gratitude. It serves as a reminder of the impact ECS’ programs make in the lives of so many and the strength of its clients.   

ECS cannot make this change without support. To help ECS continue to impact the San Diego region and bring real transformation to thousands of individuals and families visit our donate page here: www.ecscalifornia.org/donate.  

Teaming Up With PLF

PLF brought Micheal, Gabriela, Olivia, and Elizabeth closer as a family. September 2025.

A family is a team, working together like a well-oiled machine to face challenges as a unit. A team can choose to give up when obstacles pop up, or they can choose to rally behind each other and try to fix the situation. That is exactly what Gabriela and Micheal did.

Gabriela and Micheal have two daughters, Olivia, 8, and Elizabeth, 6. They recently completed sixth months of family therapy with Olivia at ECS Para Las Familias (PLF).

Before PLF, Olivia exhibited behavioral issues that left her parents very concerned. She experienced severe breakdowns, occurring multiple nights in a row on many occasions. “We couldn't really get her under control,” Micheal said. “She was hating herself and saying things bad about herself.” Her parents recalled instances where she would go so far as to kick the walls or doors or even hit herself. It was a constant struggle.

But the hurt felt by the situation went beyond just Olivia. “Elizabeth would break down and cry a lot of times when [Olivia] was throwing her tantrums,” Micheal said.

Gabriela and Micheal strived for balanced teamwork through the breakdowns and their relationship remained steady, but they were under immense stress. “I found ourselves constantly on edge, because we had just finished having to deal with the tantrums, and the outbursts, and then any little thing was bothering us, because we were already exhausted,” Gabriela explained.

Despite their efforts, nothing worked. “I think we felt pretty desperate to find a solution, some help, someone that can explain why she's going through this,” Gabriela said.

Thankfully, family friends Jessica and George told Gabriela and Micheal about PLF. “Their daughter [Leilani] and Olivia have similar traits and when they said that they learned techniques and that they see a difference – and we saw a difference – I was like, ‘Get me in, get me in,’” Gabriela said.

The family approached PLF as a team. Gabriela and Micheal knew it was crucial that they both attended with Olivia. They were nervous, but to their excitement, they began to see a change in their daughter.

The key to overcoming this challenge though, didn’t lie just with Olivia: it was a family affair. Gabriela and Micheal attended PLF’s parenting class in conjunction with the therapy. With the help of PLF therapist Andrea, they learned a variety of tools they could implement in their parenting to better support and guide their children. “We wanted her to know that we were there when she was upset,” Gabriela said. “We'll let her know... ‘I'm gonna be right here.’”

Family therapy sessions and parenting classes helped Olivia and her parents build understanding and communicate effectively. September 2025.

As they continued therapy with PLF therapist Joana, Olivia displayed clear growth. She learned new ways to cope with big emotions and became more social. Her parents even observed her using games and lessons from PLF to share her newfound wisdom with her little sister.

Gabriela and Micheal shared that they feel the lessons the entire family learned from PLF will stick with them for life and would be beneficial to any family. “I think anybody that has kids for the first time should take the parenting class,” Micheal said. “I think it's very helpful, even if you don't have a kid that's having breakdowns, because some of the stuff they teach you is good for babies... I think some of those techniques would have been nice to implement a lot younger.”

PLF gave Gabriela, Micheal, and their daughters many tools and techniques to work better as a team, all at no cost to the family. “I thought the therapy was really expensive,” she said. “Everybody makes it seem like it's a very privileged thing to go to. When families are struggling it's really good that [ECS is] able to offer stuff like that.” No family should be without help due to their financial situation. Providing free therapy, parenting classes, and childcare all at PLF makes help accessible to any family.

A weight is lifted off the whole family. “It's not gonna be perfect, and I didn't expect not to have any problems or issues, but it is like night and day... sometimes I just go, ‘Wow, she's so mature now,’” Gabriela said. “Every single day, we look forward to the next day, because it was like a new beginning.”

To learn more about Para Las Familias visit www.ecscalifornia.org/para-las-familias.

Showcasing the Healing Power of Art

Uptown Safe Haven residents and staff celebrate the art show and the healing it represents. October 2025.

La Jolla, CA – Art is healing. It provides a space for people to express and process difficult feelings or experiences in a calm and comforting way. According to Psychology Today, engaging with art challenges the brain, helping to break behavior patterns set by depression, anxiety, and trauma. This allows healing to take place.

At ECS Uptown Safe Haven (UTSH), residents frequently create art. Last Friday, their creativity was displayed at the annual Art Speaks: The Healing Power of Art exhibition. The event showed off the unique artwork of each resident, but it also displayed their incredible healing journeys.

ECS’ CEO and Development team pose with a resident and her art. October 2025.

The event was held at St. James Gallery by-the-Sea in La Jolla. UTSH residents’ original pieces were displayed for guests to peruse. The art was also available for purchase, with all proceeds directly benefiting the artist.

Guests had the chance to meet UTSH residents, staff, and others passionate about breaking barriers for adults experiencing homelessness.

A heartfelt thank-you to the St. James Arts Committee for providing the delicious refreshments and to everyone who joined us for this meaningful celebration of art and community.

To learn more about Uptown Safe Haven, visit www.ecscalifornia.org/uptown-safe-haven-1.

Resident artwork hung up for display. October 2025.

Artwork at the exhibition is made up of a range of different images and mediums. October 2025.

Kindness Overcomes

Alice enjoys tending to the garden at UTSH. August 2025.

In the US, 21.1% of individuals experiencing homelessness also have a severe mental health condition. Serious mental illness (SMI) can majorly interfere with life activities and create unique obstacles for the people dealing with SMI. People like Alice.  

Alice, a resident of Uptown Safe Haven (UTSH) since January, is known for her kindness, generosity, and dedication, but mental illness has created challenging obstacles along her path. “I am bipolar schizophrenic affected,” Alice said. About every two years, she has a severe mental breakdown. Alice has long followed this pattern of breakdown, to hospitalization, to stabilization, and eventually a return to her typical life routine — living at her parents’ house and working. 

After nine years at the same job, Alice suffered a severe breakdown that resulted in six months of hospitalization followed by six months of care at a crisis house afterward. During her time at the hospital, Alice’s sister and brother-in-law convinced her parents to reject any attempt Alice made to return home. And, because she was under care for a year, her position at her job was no longer available upon her release. Alice was homeless with no one to turn to. 

The crisis house could not keep Alice any longer, so they sent her out with nothing but the belongings she arrived with and a $5 bus pass.  

Art gifted to Alice by friends hangs on the wall of her room at UTSH. August 2025.

Still, Alice was resourceful. After a difficult night spent sleeping on the trolley for safety, she took action. Alice was able to access her savings, acquire Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and through those funds, complete her associate in accounting. Finally, her life was back on track. Until she was hit with yet another breakdown. “I'm good when I'm good and then I'm not when I'm not,” she said. 

After that, Alice lost her SSDI and hopped from one job to the next between breakdowns. “I was so unstable,” she said. After a particularly bad breakdown, she returned to her parents’ house only to learn that her brother-in-law, in an effort to keep Alice and her breakdowns at bay, had obtained a restraining order against Alice with both of her parents listed on it. She violated the restraining order in a state of psychosis and promptly turned herself in.  

After five challenging months in jail, Alice was released and placed in an independent living facility where she began psychiatric therapy. “I learned how to identify my mental illness, which is something I never knew before,” Alice said. “I learned how to calm it down; I learned how to overcome the mental illness.” Alice practiced techniques and found a better medication plan to help manage her symptoms. “I was impressed because everything was working. It wasn't panic attack, hospital, you know, it was panic attack, grounding techniques, medication, back on track,” she said. “It was a whole different path than what I was used to.” 

While at the independent living facility, Alice got a new job. However, as her hours increased during the holiday rush, she was told she no longer qualified for free housing with that program, and the rent was more expensive than what she could afford. Just as she felt hope dissipating again, she learned about an opportunity to move to transitional housing at Uptown Safe Haven.  

Life changed for Alice after moving to UTSH. She continued therapy, managing her mental illness more day by day, and participated in support groups led by Keith, an UTSH staff member. The staff offered her continuous support and kindness. “The staff is so nice to me. I mean they’re the best,” Alice said. “I realized that not all people are bad. There are people who are good, there are people who understand, there are people who work with you to make it better for you. And that's what I found here.”   

Alice praises the compassion of the staff, but their admiration for her thoughtfulness shines just as bright. Alice frequently goes above and beyond her mandatory chores, ensuring that the facility is in perfect condition for her fellow residents and she volunteers with Voices of Our City Choir. But the kindness that Alice is perhaps best known for is her birthday cake tradition. 

Alice keeps a box of cake mix in her room so she is prepared for upcoming celebrations. August 2025.

“When I was little, my birthday was overlooked a lot,” Alice explained. That lingering feeling pushed her to ensure no one at UTSH ever felt that way, so she started baking cakes for everyone’s birthdays, and even for some residents’ sobriety anniversaries. “I've done cakes for everybody... I think people like to be recognized and make sure everyone feels special.” 

UTSH brought stability to Alice’s life. It also gave her a clean slate, helping to clear her criminal record. A few months ago, Alice went before a judge to address the charges on her record from violating the restraining order. During her court session, the judge pulled out a letter written by Raul, UTSH’s Program Manager, vouching for Alice’s character. “I feel compelled to write this letter to support Alice because she has been one of the most outstanding residents we've had during my time as program manager,” the letter read. “Her positive energy, reliability, and eagerness to grow makes her a valuable member of both our program and the broader community.”  

“[The judge] asked me, ‘do you know what this letter says?’” Alice recalled. “I just nodded. I couldn't even speak. I was too busy crying. And she says, ‘this is the kind of letter that sways me.’ And she expunged my record.” 

Through counseling, community activities, and pitching in with chores, Alice has prepared herself for independent living. Just a few weeks ago, Alice was approved for her own apartment. Her goal is to take that next step toward her future by living on her own and eventually using her degree to get a job as an accounting assistant or administrator. 

UTSH helped Alice suppress her fears, regain her confidence, and prepare for independent living. August 2025.

Because of her mental illness, Alice used to live in constant fear. She had to pick herself up and start over all alone, time and time again. “But with the support that I have, especially from Uptown Safe Haven, it's really different,” Alice said. “If it wasn't for programs like this, I wouldn't have an opportunity to have my own place. And to actually be in an environment where you learn to live in your own place makes it so that you have a better outcome when you do get there.” 

Alice expressed immense gratitude for the UTSH staff, ECS donors, Downtown Impact, San Diego Housing Commission, and God. 

To learn more about the incredible work of UTSH, visit ECS Uptown Safe Haven.