Joey O’Connell is many things. She is a mother of five, a survivor of domestic abuse, a former drug addict, and, as of the day I met her at the Father Virgil Cordano Center, 67 days sober. As she sits at a table talking and getting her makeup done by a friend, other members start loads of laundry, put together plates of food, converse with volunteers, or lie asleep on reclining chairs. O’Connell’s story is one of hardship and human failures, the kind that might overwhelm anyone. But it’s also one of resilience, determination, and, ultimately, the human need for compassion and support.
Earlier this year, O’Connell was moved for her safety from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara by Domestic Violence Solutions (DVS) after escaping an abusive marriage. Trying to numb the trauma of abuse, she turned to drugs. Her children were taken away and placed in foster care, and she lost her apartment. She became homeless this May and spent her nights sleeping in a friend’s car or staying at the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.
But when her children were transferred to a foster care center in Santa Maria, she became terrified that her chances of winning them back were evaporating. She has since worked, with ups and downs, to turn things around. She credits her support network, many of them other homeless individuals, and organizations like the Rescue Mission and the Virgil Cordano Center, for the progress she’s made.