As anyone knows, life can be a series of ups and downs. For too many in our community, the downs can cause unbelievable trauma, forcing them to lose everything and find the power to build themselves back up.

Such is the case for Jessica, who recently came to Rescue Outreach Mission to end her experience with homelessness and find new housing.

For most of 2025, Jessica was on a downward spiral.

She had issues with her car registration because it had lapsed because she did not have the money to pay for it. Unable to drive, she lost her job early in the year and was evicted from her apartment in May.

She tried staying with friends and tried moving back home, but the only thing that worked was finding a Rescue Outreach Mission to give her stability.

A mother of three, Jessica moved to Central Florida to be close to the parents of her kids’ father in 2018. He had experienced issues with law enforcement, and they needed the help of his parents to take care of their three children.

For a few years, her life worked well, until the issues started piling up, but it took her a while to find the support at Rescue Outreach Mission.

“I arrived here in October, and the first thing that they helped me with was my car registration,” Jessica says. “The first time I went to drive, I was quite nervous because I was pulled over twice while living in my car.”

Today, Jessica has moved out and lives in her own place. Part of this was thanks to a $1,000 grant from Orlando Health to help with finding homes for Rescue Outreach Mission guests.

She works as a certified nursing assistant at Village on the Green and has not missed a day of work. In fact, she takes extra shifts to raise money to help get her back on her feet.

Her three children still live in Windermere with their grandparents; however, she sees them regularly. Just a few weeks ago, she joined them for church.

She wants to go back to school to get a higher level of nursing degree.

For those who are experiencing homelessness, Jessica is quick to say that it’s not an easy process to get back on one’s feet.

“You really have to humble yourself and look in the mirror,” Jessica says. “I had to do that, I had to take accountability for my actions. The one other thing is to not give up and not lose faith.”