BY GOD’S GRACE
A
t Volunteers
of America
Southwest, we
make a promise
with everyone we
meet to walk side by side with
them until they reach where they
need to be. Sometimes, that walk
turns into a lifelong journey. We
are lucky, in that we get to see
miracles happen every day. This
story is one such miracle that just
so happened to work out for us, as
well. This is Chandra’s story.
When Chandra
Alessio walks in
to work every
day at the
Chandra
Renaissance
Alessio
Treatment Center,
she isn’t just returning
to her job, but also to the place where her life turned
around. “I came to Volunteers of America a few times,”
Chandra says. “I was a client when it was at the rescue
mission, and then I came back here in National City a
few more times. It’s always God’s timing.”
70 GBSAN.COM | FEBRUARY 2019
Renaissa
Treatment Ce
Chandra was once homeless, struggling
with addiction since the age of 12, and
dealing with imprisonment since 35. In an
out of violent relationships and struggling
maintain connection with her family, Chan
says things started to turn around when s
met her husband. “I was homeless for years sleeping
in the park or in abandoned houses, then I met my
husband. He was a nice man; that man took care of
on those streets. He was always there for me. Once
friend came into our lives and asked us if we wanted
live in his trailer. He had a couple of rules: no using