Ashley was born and raised in San Diego.  She was beautiful, spunky and petite.  She also suffered from mental illness, which caused moodiness and sadness.  Ashley was fiercely independent, and was determined to do everything her way, with no rules.  Her #1 goal was to have fun!

“All people, no matter their situation in life, need to be treated with love, kindness and respect — that was Ashley’s Hope…”

Against our wishes, she lefthome at age 17 with only a tote bag of clothes and her phone.  We were terrified, as she spiraled into the unstable, risky and dangerous life of living on the streets.  Unable to manage life’s stressors, she stopped taking her prescribed medications and began self-medicating with illicit drugs.  This dangerous behavior led her to experience drug-induced psychoses, often lasting for months at a time.

We never gave up Hope and utilized every resource possible to try to get Ashley the help she needed.  We continually tried to save Ashley from her poor choices.  Eventually, she was able to secure a tiny studio apartment for a few months and we visited her often.  When we went to meet Ashley at her apartment, we brought her clothing and basic necessities.  Her eyes would light up when she saw the clothes, even if they were “gently worn”.  Clothes were always one of Ashley’s favorite things!

Tragically, on February 24, 2021, during another terrible psychotic episode, she was killed while attempting to cross the freeway.  Ashley was only 25 years old.

We share Ashley’s story to give a glimpse into the life of one person, living homeless on our city streets.  Ashley’s Hope strives to help others who are homeless for any reason, whether by their own choice or otherwise.  Portions of Ashley’s story are similar to the experiences of others living on the streets. 

We help the most vulnerable people in our community feel like someone cares about them.  Clean clothes and shoes help these individuals feel better about themselves. All people, no matter their situation in life, must be treated with love, kindness and respect — that was Ashley’s Hope — and our goal.