CORE Response - Annual Report 2020
A document summarizing the mission, leadership, and work performed by CORE Response in 2020. In addition to highlighting individuals and communities served, the 2020 Annual Report focuses on transparency through the inclusion of key donors and the standard financial disclosures from the year.
A document summarizing the mission, leadership, and work performed by CORE Response in 2020. In addition to highlighting individuals and communities served, the 2020 Annual Report focuses on transparency through the inclusion of key donors and the standard financial disclosures from the year.
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19 www.<strong>CORE</strong>response.org<br />
“It had me hit rock bottom. I was there, feeling<br />
hopeless without my family, struggling every<br />
day,” said Carlos. “Skid Row was kind of like<br />
quicksand, where you struggle to get out and<br />
you just can’t.”<br />
When Carlos’ legal troubles had him on the<br />
cusp of being sent to a federal penitentiary,<br />
he enrolled in a START (Substance Treatment<br />
and Re-entry Transition) program in jail, which<br />
he refers to as a “reset button.” Little by little,<br />
he started to reclaim his life, getting an ID for<br />
the first time in a decade, obtaining financial<br />
support through General Relief, and moving into<br />
a sober living home.<br />
When the pandemic hit, Carlos joined <strong>CORE</strong><br />
to fight on the frontlines at COVID-19 testing<br />
sites across Los Angeles, including the nation’s<br />
largest site at Dodger Stadium. He also joined<br />
<strong>CORE</strong>’s mobile unit serving the Skid Row<br />
community alongside LAFD.<br />
“It’s been incredible<br />
to give back and<br />
be a part of a<br />
group of people<br />
coming together<br />
to shut down this<br />
pandemic. The<br />
energy is amazing.”<br />
“It’s been incredible to give back and be a part<br />
of a group of people coming together to shut<br />
down this pandemic. The energy is amazing,”<br />
said Carlos. “Being with <strong>CORE</strong>, I feel what it<br />
is to really be a team, being able to count on<br />
the person next to you. It’s like having family,<br />
and that’s something that I really never had.<br />
<strong>CORE</strong> has been the one that has given me that<br />
chance. In my mind, in my heart, because of<br />
<strong>CORE</strong> I’ve been able to grow and become a<br />
great person.”<br />
As he focuses on furthering his recovery and<br />
personal growth, Carlos’ ambitions continue<br />
to burgeon, from having a family and owning<br />
a house, to furthering his education and<br />
continuing to support the community he<br />
called home for many years. Above all, he<br />
wants to inspire others.<br />
“I would like everyone to remember me as a<br />
person that hit rock bottom and changed his<br />
life for the best,” said Carlos. “A person that,<br />
through all the things he’s been through, still<br />
loves life and really cares about others. And<br />
a person that is willing to go the extra mile to<br />
make things happen, not only for myself but<br />
for others. A person that could. That did.”