Our President and CEO, Troy Vaughn, was recently interviewed by Wave Publication about his journey from the streets of Skid Row to leading Los Angeles Mission. An abridged excerpt of the interview is below. To read the full article, click here.

For seven years, Troy Vaughn’s home was in a cardboard box on Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
“I lived in and out of the streets, sleeping in cardboard boxes periodically,” Vaughn said. “I was in and out of shelters, cars, and missions — anywhere just to find a place to sleep.”
…
Broken and filled with despair, Vaughn uttered a prayer one night that would forever change his life.
“I prayed to God that I would serve him for the rest of my life if he would deliver me from the streets. It was just that simple,” he said.
God answered his prayer.
…
Remembering his own experiences on Skid Row’s gritty streets, Vaughn constantly offers hope, encouragement and understanding to the residents of Skid Row while remaining determined to improve the landscape.

“Everything starts with seeing people and meeting them where they are at — a smile, a meal, a loving guide,” Vaughn said. “Meeting people where they are at is essential for helping people who have hit rock bottom. For me it always starts with that, seeing people and meeting them where they are at.”