Marcela and Alex

Marcela grew up in Van Nuys in a household marked by instability and poverty.

Her mom was a single mother with five children, and her father was incarcerated. Marcela felt the whole world was against her. She started hanging out with the wrong crowd and entered juvenile probation at age 13.

When Marcela aged out of the juvenile justice system at age 18, she had nowhere to go. Life on the streets was scary—she was assaulted and kidnapped. At age 27, she became a mother. When her son Alex was just six months old, his father was incarcerated. Despite working consistently—and at times holding two jobs—she could not afford housing.

Marcela was forced to live in her car with Alex during the winter. Alex became sick, and she struggled to meet his needs while navigating exhaustion, fear, and uncertainty.

Knowing that giving up was not an option, Marcela turned to LA Family Housing. At first, she feared they would separate her from her son. Instead, LAFH kept them together, giving them a room in an interim housing facility for families.

Marcela was finally able to rest and focus on being a mother. LAFH provided her with mental health support, and helped her access services for Alex who had been diagnosed with autism. After nine months in interim housing, LAFH helped her find low-income housing which was subsidized for a year, and then made sure she had all the support she needed to succeed. Marcela has been able to pay off her debts and build her credit. She now is able to cover her rent on her own and Alex is thriving. “I am no longer hopeless, and today I have a place to call home,” she says.

Marcela was celebrated at LAFH Awards 2026. Watch her story here.