Paying it Forward

Cherie first found Friendly Center when she and her two children, ages 12 and 7 at the time, were homeless and looking for help. She contacted Friendly Center and was connected to a Family Support Advocate who registered Cherie for the food distribution, counseling, and job development classes. After three years of using Friendly Center’s wrap-around services, Cherie was able to gain stability and move her family from the motel they were living in, to a place of their own.  

After her children grew, with her youngest now in college, she decided to give back and volunteer for the same services she received 15 years earlier. Cherie volunteers for Friendly Center’s Easter and Turkey Basket distributions, the Toy distribution, nearly every week at the regular food distributions, and any other service for which Friendly Center may need volunteers. She has been volunteering with Friendly Center for six years now and started off volunteering at the Orange location, but since the expansion to Buena Park, she has been supporting the new service location by volunteering and letting neighbors, friends, and family know about the new location. Cherie shares, “Without Friendly Center we would probably still be on the streets… they were there every step of the way”. Friendly Center is incredibly grateful for Cherie and paying it forward with the time she gives to others after overcoming so much adversity.