Born in Michigan and the oldest of seven children, Lauretha joined the United States Marine Corps at 19 years old with ambitions of seeing the world. She served for five years as a Marine, and then reenlisted in the Navy.

During the next 15 years, Lauretha sailed the globe visiting distant ports, including Dubai during the Gulf War, before retiring as a First Class Petty Officer in 1994. But life after military service wasn’t easy for Lauretha, and in 2007, she hit rock bottom and was admitted to the Veterans Hospital in La Jolla to treat her depression and alcoholism.

“It was a total wake-up call for me,” said Lauretha. “I had gone from owning a home to allowing alcoholism to rule my life.”

After completing a residential recovery program, Lauretha needed help to become independent again, so she turned to Interfaith for support. As Interfaith’s fourth female living at the Veterans Housing in Oceanside, she focused on completing the program, never losing sight of her goal to become self sufficient.

Interfaith case managers helped Lauretha establish her personal plan for success. She attended workshops and trainings, participated in group counseling sessions, joined a relapse prevention group, and regained control of her finances, learning how to budget her expenses on a limited income. In September 2009, Lauretha transitioned out of the program, moving into her very own apartment, which Interfaith helped her furnish.

 “It feels so good facing life every morning knowing that people in the community care about my success and want to see me prosper,” said Lauretha. “I’m happy and blessed to be back on my own two feet again, and I have God and Interfaith to thank for that.”