Client Testimonies
"First and foremost I want to thank God for guiding me into the path of you all. I just wanted to take the time to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart to those who have donated to this organization; your kindness doesn’t go unnoticed. Because of your help you have helped us women with our daily struggles and given us the opportunity to blossom into someone we never thought we could become. You gave us hope and showed us that there are good people who are willing to give a helping hand when needed the most. And for that I will forever cherish. Thank you for taking the time to hear our stories and for never judging us or what we’ve been through. To the wonderful people who work at CIH, I cannot thank you guys enough. You have watched me fail many times and helped me get back up. You have guided me on my journey of becoming who I am today and who I will be in the future. You guys have poured your love, sweat , and tears into us ladies and it breaks my heart to have to say goodbye, but I cannot express how appreciative I am of you all for always being my backbone when I needed it the most and; for listening to my pain and for turning my mind, spirit, and soul into someone who can now face many challenges as long as I have God on my side thank you. To the ladies I hope and pray you all continue your healing journey and know you overcame the hardest battle of it all I’m proud of us. Thank you for standing against human trafficking."
~ CeCe, Speech for the 2023 Client Graduation
~ CeCe, Speech for the 2023 Client Graduation
"Currently I am struggling with homelessness, and I got connected with Children of Immaculate Heart. Wanni from the Emergency Services Program (ESP) got back to me in a timely manner and made an appointment to come out and meet with me. Before she even met with me, I was given emergency assistance with a hotel stay which provided me some relief until my appointment date. At first, I was nervous that someone could help me, but I was in a safe place. She did assure me and meeting her was more comfortable. The ESP is currently helping me with the hotel stay, budgeting, and resource support. I will be moving to my new home which is still in the inspection process. I am excited and can't wait!
When I met Wanni, I was a bit confused about the process of housing and needed support to navigate. Having an advocate helps to make the process more smoothly. The housing process is very stressful with a child, so I am grateful for the support of the hotel assistance which gave us a place to rest our heads and time to relax without worrying. I am learning about budgeting while staying in the hotel and creating a plan for my move. I like that I get check-in visits at my hotel or at the mall or playground where my child can get a break from the confinement of the hotel.
Struggling with homelessness brought on some trust issues and some frustration. To help with this I was assisted with reconnecting to my therapy sessions. I like that I can vent, be myself and revisit the conversation. Redirecting me to focus on my plans and supporting me with navigation resources and potential services has been helpful.
This is a letter of appreciation for the services that I received from the ESP. Thank you so much!”
~ Client Review of Emergency Services Program & working with Wanni Mena ( Emergency Services Coordinator)
When I met Wanni, I was a bit confused about the process of housing and needed support to navigate. Having an advocate helps to make the process more smoothly. The housing process is very stressful with a child, so I am grateful for the support of the hotel assistance which gave us a place to rest our heads and time to relax without worrying. I am learning about budgeting while staying in the hotel and creating a plan for my move. I like that I get check-in visits at my hotel or at the mall or playground where my child can get a break from the confinement of the hotel.
Struggling with homelessness brought on some trust issues and some frustration. To help with this I was assisted with reconnecting to my therapy sessions. I like that I can vent, be myself and revisit the conversation. Redirecting me to focus on my plans and supporting me with navigation resources and potential services has been helpful.
This is a letter of appreciation for the services that I received from the ESP. Thank you so much!”
~ Client Review of Emergency Services Program & working with Wanni Mena ( Emergency Services Coordinator)
Notable comments
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“There is a pressing need to free women from the bondage of a most degrading form of slavery, but others do this work. Grace Williams and her team do it for the one reason that matters: out of love of Jesus Christ. For this reason, Children of the Immaculate Heart is the charity closest to Jackie’s and my heart.”
~ Christopher Check, CEO of Catholic Answers |
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"God bless Grace Williams and Children of the Immaculate Heart. Many today believe slavery in the United States is in the past, but it is alive and well in our own backyards. And the victims are often our own daughters or neighbors. In fact, California is one of the states with the highest number of cases of human trafficking in the country, and San Diego is near the top of the list of California cities. Not only has CIH forged a path to helping these victims in the face of ridiculous bureaucracy, they’ve done it on their terms—not sacrificing the Catholic principles at the heart of their desire to help these victims realize their worth as children of almighty God.”
~ Jon Sorensen, COO, Catholic Answer |
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"For freedom Christ has set us free’ (Galatians 5:1). St. Paul assures us of the liberating power of God’s grace that enters a fallen and suffering world through the Lord's Cross and Resurrection. Jesus did not shield Himself from the effects of sin. He conquered pain and death by suffering for and with us…the greatest and most powerful act of love the world will ever see. Children of the Immaculate Heart testifies that this divine love continues to heal, console and free those who have suffered terribly, but who have not lost hope. This noble and inspired apostolate radiates the light and love that only Jesus Christ can give.”
~ Fr. Paul Check, Executive Director, Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, WI and Former Director of "Courage" |
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"Children of the Immaculate Heart is going to be at the forefront of Christ-centered restoration of children once captured in the snares of sex trafficking in the United States. At 20 employees, Children of the Immaculate Heart will set the bar and perhaps even be the model for all Catholic homes of restoration and healing.”
~ Fr. David Nix, Founding CIH Board Member |
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"Children of the Immaculate Heart strives to bring the most comprehensive healing to these women, many of whom have never known authentic love. They provide their services, all within the safe, secure, and loving environment meant to provide the women the structure. needed CIH seeks the healing of the whole person by providing for all of the needs of the person, not just physical, but the mental and the spiritual needs as well. They serve their clients out of their singular love for God and with the intention of making the infinite love of God felt by women that have not yet known it. Their strong Catholic Faith informs their love of souls and their desire to restore all things in Christ."
~ Fr. Chris Mahowald, FSSP |
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“In this time in which our country’s history with slavery is once again coming to the forefront of our psyche, the work of Children of the Immaculate Heart’s apostolate is a constant reminder that in our culture of death, slavery is still alive and well in our society. In the three years that I had the pleasure of working with CIH, I have seen the absolute importance of their role in stemming this modern-day slavery. Through their work, which emanates from their faith in Our Lord and His Blessed Mother, they work tirelessly to show these souls how to love themselves and others, and how to truly be loved for themselves. May God bless CIH, and may you find it in your heart to help accomplish the work they so tirelessly devote themselves to.”
~ Fr. Anthony Dorsa, FSSP |