From Homelessness to Hopeful: How One Mom is Rebuilding Her Life Through St. Vincent’s Support Program
Santa Barbara, Calif. (KEYT) - Santa Barbara, Calif. (KEYT) - After months of uncertainty, wondering if she and her child would ever have a safe home, Sophia Mendez found a new beginning through St. Vincent’s Family Strengthening Program.
“Feeling like you were born into a world where you just keep taking punches — I didn’t think I was ever going to make it or that I was smart enough,” Mendez shared.
That changed when she joined the program, which provides housing assistance, parenting classes, and financial training to help women gain independence.
Today, she’s earning her diploma and preparing to take college courses at Santa Barbara City College.
At the heart of the initiative are peer support specialists — women who’ve faced similar challenges and now mentor others on their journeys.
“When I was here, I wish I had a peer support specialist,” said Alicia Visueta, now on staff at St. Vincent’s. “When I first arrived, I didn’t think I could do it — I didn’t know how I’d find a job or child care.”
Thanks to the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, which granted $100,000 to the program, more families are getting the tools — and the encouragement — to start fresh.
Mendez gained more than just life skills. “I’ve got a job, my daughter’s in daycare, and I passed my driver’s test — and driving was my biggest fear,” she said with a smile.
Seeing moms like Mendez succeed is what makes Visueta's work so meaningful. “The best part about my job is getting to say, ‘You can do it.’”
For Mendez, that support has done more than change her address — it’s changed her life.
Since joining the program, Mendez says she’s gained more than practical skills — she’s learned self-confidence and hope for the future.
Fueled by a $100,000 Women’s Fund grant, St. Vincent’s continues to change lives across the community, empowering women to turn struggle into strength.
For Mendez, it didn’t just change her address — it changed her life.
