Theresa’s story begins in Twin Falls, Idaho. Theresa moved to Woodland, California at age nine. Her older brother became her “initiator” into a world that would eventually consume nearly two decades of her life.
The Downward Spiral
“I somehow veered into a pattern of abusive, toxic, unhealthy, dysfunctional relationships,” Theresa reflects. What started as teenage experimentation spiraled into a cycle of physically abusive partnerships. In 2012, she met her children’s father. Three years later, their first child was born, followed by two more children. But addiction had its grip on both parents.
The breaking point came in 2022 when all three of Theresa’s children were removed by Child Protective Services. She was 31 years old with three young children, ages that would become 3, 5, and 8. She was completely lost.
The Long Road to Recovery
Eight months later Theresa entered a rehabilitation program. She lasted only 45 days before being kicked out. Another three months passed in active addiction before she found the strength to try again in 2023.
“I did 129 days there,” Theresa says of her second attempt. This time, something was different. This time, she was ready to fight, not just for herself, but for her children.
The shame had been perhaps the biggest barrier. “I was so prideful that I didn’t want to admit that I had been a liar,” she explains. “Even though I was technically with my kids’ dad, he was in and out… I had been a single mom for longer than I cared to admit.”
That pride, the “I don’t need anybody to help me” mentality that many single mothers develop, nearly cost Theresa everything.
Finding Hope at Paul’s Place
After completing her rehabilitation program, Theresa came to Paul’s Place, Davis Community Meals and Housing’s resource center. Here, she would spend four months that would change the trajectory of her entire life.
“If it wasn’t for this place, my kids would have never come home,” Theresa states emphatically.
Under the guidance of Supportive Services Coordinator Harmony Scopazzi, Theresa began the complex process of rebuilding her life and reuniting with her children. Harmony became more than a case manager, she became an advocate, attending court dates and helping Theresa secure housing so her children could come home.
“She’s proven that she not only wants to help, she goes above and beyond” Theresa says of Harmony.
Executive Director Tracy Fauver also made an indelible impression. Theresa recalls watching Tracy remain calm and collected even when someone was “screaming so hard that spit was flying out of this girl’s mouth. Tracy just stood there and said, ‘Okay, well, we’ll talk about that.’ It was incredible.”
Reclaiming Motherhood
The reunion with her children wasn’t just about getting them back, it was about becoming the mother they deserved. Theresa had to learn who she was as a person and who she wanted to be as a parent.
“I used to fear being lonely without a significant other. I’m actually okay with it just being me and my boys,” she shares. This independence, earned through struggle and supported by DCMH’s services, has allowed her to establish healthy boundaries and break generational cycles.
Theresa is particularly intentional about teaching her children compassion. When they see homeless individuals, her eight-year-old will read signs and suggest giving money if they have it. “If somebody says they’re hungry and I have a dollar, I’ll give it to them, or I’ll let my son hand it to them,” she explains.
This isn’t just kindness, it’s education. “I remember when I was a kid, I would see homeless people and I would be scared of them,” Theresa recalls. She’s determined her children will grow up with empathy rather than fear.
Breaking the Cycle
Today, Theresa is pursuing her education in counseling. Her goal is to work with men and women in active addiction or recovery who have CPS cases, advocating for them the way Harmony advocated for her.
“There’s a very big misconception. There are some people who are homeless out here that are clean, they just don’t know how to dig themselves out of the hole they’re in,” Theresa explains. “If these people knew that they had a fighting chance of getting their children back, it might change something.”
The statistics say that children of addicts are more likely to become addicts themselves. Theresa is determined to beat those odds. By modeling recovery, teaching compassion, and maintaining her sobriety, she’s rewriting her family’s story.
A Message of Hope
Theresa’s journey from active addiction to stable housing to family reunification didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen alone. It required comprehensive support services, patient case management, and a community that believes in second chances.
“I think it’s easy to look at people like me as just another statistic, just another girl who was addicted to drugs and had her kids removed,” Theresa reflects. “When in reality, it’s about sitting down and getting to know people, hearing their story, and figuring out what the solution is.”
Her message to the community is clear: “I don’t think I was ever a bad person. Did I make some real questionable choices? Absolutely. But deep down, just because I was addicted to drugs doesn’t mean I’m just a number.”
The Power of Comprehensive Support
Theresa’s success story illustrates why Davis Community Meals and Housing’s approach works. It’s not enough to provide just housing or just meals, people need wraparound services, advocacy, and most importantly, they need to be seen as human beings worthy of dignity and support.
From Paul’s Place to permanent housing, from case management to court advocacy, DCMH provided the comprehensive support that made family reunification possible. Today, Theresa lives independently with her children, is pursuing her education, and is giving back to others walking the path she once walked.
“There’s still hope,” Theresa says. And through programs like those offered at Davis Community Meals and Housing, that hope becomes reality: one person, one family, one story at a time.
Davis Community Meals and Housing provides comprehensive support services to low-income and unhoused individuals and families in our community. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please contact Paul’s Place at (530)756-4008. To support our mission, visit https://daviscommunitymeals.org/.