"That was me a few years ago" recalls Cyndie Schubert. "I was addicted to drugs. I'd been busted twice. And my future was bleak, at best." Along the way, Cyndie also lost the respect of her daughter, her mother, her extended family...and herself.

 

Then society's safety net caught her.

 

"The judge made me go to CRASH (Substance abuse treatment services) and I started to 'get it'. The counselors were wonderful, but the people were bad news. I had to leave, or else they'd have gotten me using drugs again." she explains. "Then I got into Volunteers of America, but after a few months of being clean, they agreed I couldn't learn anything new. It was time for me to take my place in the world."

 

With her mom caring for Cyndie's teenage daughter, Cyndie started getting her priorities straight. "I didn't even use drugs again when my dad died" she says.

 

A sharper focus on her goals and where she wanted to go allowed Cyndie to take care of business. "I learned I had to clean up my past before I could look towards the future." She got a job, paid off her debts, and started saving towards a better life.

 

"I got a job working for Ace Parking" Cyndie proudly reports. "They transferred me to the building where Community HousingWorks is based, and I met all these wonderful (CHW) people."

 

"Now I'm working for Stepstone Real Estate. But my real success started the day I met Adelina Enriquez. She got me on the road to Revenue and Recovery, saving money to buy a house. Then she opened up all these doors for me and made the idea of my owning a home real."

 

Says Ms. Enriquez; "Cyndie bought the most gorgeous place imaginable in City Heights. She qualified for $120,000 in silent payments, and doesn't have to worry about payments on those funds unless she either refinances or sells the property. And she's always got a huge smile on her face, every day, whenever you see her."

 

"This is a woman who is so determined to be a success, and so committed to her daughter and her new life. She's a joy to see each day." says Ms. Enriquez.

 

On December 7, 2007, Cyndie Schubert closed on a delightful 2-bedroom house with a separate garage, fireplace, wood floors, and marble countertops. She's even got the proverbial white picket fence. "It's a wonderful place to call home" she says. She lives there with her daughter Mysti and Bella, the dog.

 

"They helped me with the money. They helped me find the house. They helped me by buying a new stove, new fridge, and a new hot water heater for me. I couldn't have done any of this without Community HousingWorks and their program." Cyndie reports now.

 

"I thank God they were willing to believe in me." she says, adding. "I learned if you stay straight, you can become a respectable person again. I'm in a much happier place than I was 10 years ago - I have my mom's respect, my family's respect, and I know my daddy's smiling down on me."

 

The most important part of the story? "I have my daughter back".