Ron and his wife Artemis’ home is full of giggles and the sounds of tiny feet running away from bath time. When we called one evening, Ron answered the phone, and breathlessly he asked, “Can you give me a moment?” On the other end of the receiver were the squeals of small children echoing back to Ron’s request to get ready for bed.
“Sorry, we’re just getting the kids out of the bath.” Had we reached out to him just a month before that, this call would have sounded very differently.
For over the course of 10 years, Ron was living on the streets, struggling to find work due to a previous offense. He met Artemis in 2012, and the two started living together in a tent in San Diego. In the next year and a half, the couple supported one another in any way they could—Ron worked odd jobs, and Artemis put on singing performances in the park. The fight to support their family drove their determination to find a place to live, and fast.
After a housing opportunity fell through in San Diego, Ron and Artemis decided to make their way to Los Angeles with their two kids, Brannon and Alyssa, in tow. They arrived full of optimism, believing that a fresh start was all they needed. But the search for housing continued to be fruitless, and the young family returned to living in a tent, this time in Griffith Park. A few months later, they were met by five police officers and a social worker—the kids were being taken into custody by Child Protective Services. Brannon and Alyssa were separated and placed with a total of 12 different foster families over the course of a year.
Ron came to Chrysalis for the first time in January of 2016 and was immediately inspired by the prospect of a second chance. He greeted his Employment Specialist saying, “I am going to be one of your success stories.” He dove into our core program, balancing a tight schedule of classes, regularly scheduled, supervised visits with his children, and court mandated sessions with his wife so that they could regain custody of their children. Soon, Ron got hired as an Office Cleaning Operator. But getting a job was just one piece of the puzzle—now more than ever, he and his wife needed to find housing.
The couple was placed into temporary housing until they were notified that an apartment unit had become available—the same day that would also mark the birth of their third child, Roxy. For the next four months, Ron continued to work hard both on the job and in preparation of the return of his two other children. The family was finally reunited in August 2016. The last month and the future ahead is one of healing, reconnecting, and hope for a better future, not only for Ron, but for his entire family. And Ron will tell you that it all started with Chrysalis.
