Yuri grew up surrounded by violence. Her mother struggled with addiction, and Yuri witnessed things no child should have to see. By age 14, she had turned to alcohol and gang activity to cope with the trauma she’d endured.  “I did whatever I wanted. I felt a lot of anger inside… along with loneliness, insecurity and hopelessness.” Then, Yuri got married and had her first child when she was 15 years old – which led her to turn her life around. “Unfortunately, I followed in my mother’s footsteps with addiction. But God sent my daughter to change my life.”  As a young mother, Yuri stopped drinking. Later, she even had two…

Jason was born and raised in the Walla Walla Valley, but his childhood home was not a healthy environment. Drug use was common, and his mom and stepfather both spent time in prison. During that time, Jason moved in with another family, but the trauma stayed with him. “I never graduated from high school and started a family when I was 19 – first a son, then a daughter. Life was good for a while. Then after an operation I was introduced to pain pills. My addiction escalated from there, and I lost my family.” Without his wife and children,…

Shari’s childhood was marked by chaos, addiction and abuse. Her mom called her a loser whowould never amount to anything – even admitting she wished Shari had never been born. Theemotional abuse from a young age took a toll on Shari, as did the sexual abuse she endured at thehands of other family members. But there was a fighting spirit inside Shari. She never stayed quiet about what she endured,instead speaking up to tell anyone who would listen. She ran away from home at age 17,determined to build a better life. Yet she lacked the emotional maturity she needed to…

David’s life turned upside down when his stepfather passed away. He’d been a part of their family since David was little, and David called him “Dad.” Then, David’s mother lost her battle with cancer – and the once strong family crumbled into complete destruction. Before losing his parents, David’s life had been a happy one. With six siblings, there was always something to do. But after seeing sickness and death in his parents at a young age, David struggled to cope. “I started blaming everyone,” said David. “I had no one to keep me accountable after that so I started…

Hot Meals During Construction   Our meal service for the community will continue every day during construction. Look for the CAC van in the parking lot on Poplar Street (between 4th and 5th streets) and receive your hot meal to-go at the usual times.   7:30-8:00 am - Breakfast 5:30-6:00 pm - Dinner

Douglas did well professionally. He worked in photography, clockmaking and quality control. But throughout his career he struggled with addiction. It started when his parents died – his dad from alcohol abuse, and his mom from cancer. Douglas turned to alcohol to numb his grief. Even though Douglas spent years as a functioning alcoholic, his past eventually caught up with him to the point that he needed intensive mental health treatment. When he was released, he had nowhere to go – so he came to the Christian Aid Center. “I was no longer able to handle my past emotionally… or…

When Brianna was 8 years old, she found her stepfather dead. Her childhood hadn’t been easy before that. Her parents struggled with addiction, and Brianna and her siblings spent time in foster care. But her stepfather’s death was a trauma Brianna couldn’t get past. As she got older, she tried using drugs to push it to the back of her mind. She stopped going to school regularly, and she experienced homelessness. “My mom had other boyfriends who didn’t like me very much, and they kicked me out of our house,” she explains. Even though she was barely going to school,…

Trauma and grief marked David’s childhood. His father died when David was just 5 years old. Then, David was a victim of abuse and molestation by a family member. The trauma left him with a lot of anger, and he turned to drugs to cope with the pain.  David’s subsequent struggle with addiction was a rollercoaster. It led him to homelessness and legal trouble, as well as to periods of recovery and healing through his relationship with the Lord. Yet the good times only lasted so long.  “There were crises in my life, and I didn’t know what to do.…