Dana’s Success Story

If you had met me a few years ago, you probably wouldn’t recognize the person I was then compared to the woman I am now. My life used to be ruled by drugs and chaos. I grew up with an addicted mother, moved into a broken foster care system, and endured abuse that no child should ever experience. Those early wounds left me with pain I didn’t know how to face, and for a long time, drugs were my way of coping. I spent years in and out of prison, on probation, and running from my problems.

When I got out of prison in 2023, I thought I had found stability in a man who had a good job and promised to take care of me. We had been communicating back and forth through letters, and he invited me to come live with him in Ogden. But despite having a steady government job, he regularly used meth and gave me all the drugs I wanted. I had never met someone like him—a person who could hold down a respectable job, pay rent, and still use meth every day with plenty left over to share.

It’s probably no surprise that the relationship was abusive and rocky. He cheated on me several times and would physically kick me out of his house at times. When he would throw me out, I would walk the streets of Ogden with nothing. I would sleep outside with no idea where I would go next, until he contacted me again, apologized, and took me back. I felt trapped between my addiction, my probation requirements to have a stable address (which he provided), and a relationship that kept dragging me down.

In September 2023, I knew something had to change. My probation officer recognized my unstable situation and pushed me to find a consistent address. After trying a local homeless shelter that was full of drugs and temptations, I finally talked to Judy at the Ogden Rescue Mission. For the first time, someone listened and opened the door for me. I was given a place to stay, but more than that, I found a place where my heart could begin to heal.

At the Mission, I started to understand that everything I had lived through—the abuse, the prison time, the broken relationships—was not wasted. God had been protecting me even when I didn’t see it, and He was preparing me to help other women who were facing the same struggles. For the first time, I truly believed that Jesus Christ could change my life. I asked Him for strength every day I was on the New Life Program, and He gave me strength and new coping tools. Instead of numbing myself with drugs, I learned to lean on prayer, the Bible, and the support of the people around me.

After being at the Mission for several months, I was given the opportunity to serve as the House Mom. That role changed everything for me. Suddenly, I wasn’t just receiving help—I was able to help others. Women came to me carrying heavy burdens. Some were dealing with addiction. Some were fleeing abuse. Some just needed a safe bed for the night. I was able to welcome them, share food and hygiene items, and help them problem-solve the issues that come with trying to rebuild a life from scratch. I’ve sat with women in tears, prayed with them, and reminded them that they are not alone.

Serving as House Mom has also taught me responsibility. I help keep the women’s side of the Mission organized, enforce rules fairly, and encourage accountability. When people came to me with complaints about others, I helped them sit down together to work things out, serving as a mediator. I even learned how to administer drug tests, something that felt almost unreal at first since I had spent so much of my life taking them myself. My probation officer was shocked when he learned how well I was doing, but it’s proof of how much God has changed my life in just one year.

Being on the New Life Program and serving as House Mom at the Mission has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. From sunrise to sunset, people walk in needing blankets, hygiene items, or just someone to listen. I feel honored to provide those basic needs because I know what it’s like to go without. I know the hopelessness of wondering where your next meal will come from or where you’ll sleep that night. Now I get to be part of the answer to someone else’s prayer.

In addition to my role at the Mission, I also work at a local pizza restaurant and a thrift store. I enjoy both jobs because they give me structure and independence, and they’re helping me save money for the future. My goal is to move into my own apartment in the Salt Lake area in a few months. That’s where my children live, and now that I am sober and stable, I want to rebuild relationships with them. I know I can’t change the past, but I can be present for them moving forward.

I’m also working toward becoming a Certified Peer Support Specialist with the State of Utah. With everything I’ve been through—addiction, prison, abusive relationships, and homelessness, I know I can relate to people who feel stuck and hopeless. I want to use my story to show them that change is possible and that recovery is real.

When I look back, I’m amazed at how far I’ve come. A year ago, I was stuck in a cycle of abuse, addiction, and prison. Today, I’m sober, serving others, and planning for a future I never thought I’d have. I know my story isn’t finished yet, but I trust God with whatever comes next. My dream is simple: to stay in relationship with God, live in my own place, be near my children, and keep helping others the way the Mission helped me.

If you had told me years ago that I would one day, be the House Mom at the Ogden Rescue Mission, working jobs I enjoy, saving for an apartment, and training to be a peer support specialist, I would have laughed in disbelief. But today, it’s my reality. My life is proof that no one is too far gone, and with God’s help, healing and hope are always possible.

Thank you so much for supporting the Ogden Rescue Mission. Without you and God’s enabling power, I would likely be addicted, in prison, or worse. Your support means everything to so many people I see come in off our streets every day.