Alina Shares Her Story …

My brother and I grew up while my mom worked to support us both on her own. I never met my biological father. She told us that when she was not at work she needed her "adult time." Most times my bother and I were placed with random babysitters, but sometimes we tagged along with my mom and the come-and-go boyfriends she often had. Eventually, we came to southern California to live with my grandparents. At 10 years of age, my mom married the man who I consider to be my dad. But by the time I was 17 years old, they had gotten divorced and my mom moved out. I soon followed.

At this point of my life, I coped with my anger and feelings with drugs and alcohol. This lifestyle of substance abuse led me to loosing my first daughter, Annicka, who will be five years old this August.

Last year, I learned I was pregnant while incarcerated. Upon getting out, I moved into Casa Teresa and it was here that I realized I no longer wanted to continue on the path I had been leading. I wanted to learn how to care for this child that God had blessed me with and to prove I could be the loving, caring mother He created me to be.

Since I have been a resident at Casa Teresa, I have built my self-esteem and now I am the responsible mother of Amaris Raie, born April 18, 2007. I have enrolled in classes to complete my high school diploma, I have established a workshop environment to get back into the society I once was a part of, I have almost completed my Prop. 36 classes and I am attending 12-step meetings on a regular basis.

I have to thank the staff of Casa Teresa for helping me find the person God had created me to be. The responsibility of being an independent mother is what I enjoy today. The love, help and encouragement I have been given from the staff and residents at Casa Teresa has helped me to blossom into a happy and courageous woman who is ready for life on life's terms.

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