Meet Desiree. Mom of 10. During her struggle with substance abuse and domestic violence, she was referred to Radiant Futures for services during a weekly Case Management Team Meeting with the La Habra Family Resource Center. Like any parent striving to do better, Desiree fought hard to regain custody of her children. Although hesitant and feeling defeated, she enrolled in the Personal Empowerment Program (PEP), came to class with an open mind, and began to feel more confident. Just after a few weeks of attending PEP, Desiree knew it was time to share her story and was able to express her emotions in a safe and supportive space.

Through the heartache of losing her children, she got a job and even enrolled in a Radiant Futures Parenting Class to improve her parenting skills and felt that she could finally be a better role model for her children. She found new and better ways to communicate with her kids, something every parent dreams of achieving. Desiree graduated from PEP this month after demonstrating growth and progression, and she has now earned unsupervised visits with her children every weekend.

While the Community Services Team met Desiree through PEP, it has been the collaborative efforts of the community that have helped guide Desiree through her recovery. If you are interested in learning more about PEP, parenting classes, or other community education opportunities, please visit our website at www.wtlc.org or call our 24 hotline at 877-531-5522. We look forward to hearing more stories like Desiree’s.