CORE Response - Annual Report 2020

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