SAINT JOHN’S PROGRAM FOR REAL CHANGE HAS IMPROVED THE LIVES OF SACRAMENTO AREA WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE NONPROFIT PROVIDES A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE AND AN ARRAY OF SERVICES FOR FREE. IT ALSO OFFERS A REAL COMMUNITY FOR WOMEN WHO ARE WORKING TO STABILIZE THEIR LIVES. KCRA 3’S LEE ANNE DENYER INTRODUCES US TO A LOCAL WOMAN WHO SAYS SAINT JOHN’S NOT ONLY KEPT HER FROM LIVING ON THE STREETS OF SACRAMENTO, BUT ALSO TRANSFORMED HER ENTIRE WAY OF THINKING. GET YOURSELF SET UP. EVEN WITH HER RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE KITCHEN AND HER CLASSES, THERE’S TIME FOR REFLECTION. SO WE ALL MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT STORIES, AND WE ALL ARE DIFFERENT PLACES AT DIFFERENT TIMES. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL KIND OF HAVE ENDED UP HERE AND WE ALL HAVE. THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING IN COMMON. LAUREN LOUDERMILK SAYS IT WASN’T ONE THING THAT LED HER HERE. I WAS PROBABLY ENTERING LIKE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING. CHALLENGES WITH HER MENTAL HEALTH, HER PHYSICAL HEALTH AND EVICTION. BEING A SINGLE MOM WERE MOUNTING AND SHE HAD NOWHERE TO GO. AND I HAD MY CAT ON A HARNESS, AND I WAS TRULY PREPARED TO LIVE ON THE STREET OF SACRAMENTO IF I WERE NOT SAINT JOHN’S, I WOULD BE ON THE STREET. I WOULD BE. AND IT’S IT’S SCARY TO THINK, BECAUSE I WOULD NOT BE HEALTHY. THERE’S NOWHERE YOU CAN BE ON THE STREET AND BE HEALTHY. BUT A FAMILY MEMBER, SHE SAYS, CONNECTED HER WITH SAINT JOHN’S PROGRAM FOR REAL CHANGE IN SACRAMENTO. WHEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE STAYING HERE, WE PROVIDE ALL THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY WOULD NEED AS THEY’RE WORKING TOWARDS RECOVERY AND THEIR GOALS. SO THAT INCLUDES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, CHILDCARE, JOB TRAINING, FAMILY SERVICES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS KIND OF TOGETHER. THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HAS HELPED WOMEN FOR DECADES, GIVING THEM A SPACE TO LIVE, HEAL AND REBUILD WITH SUPPORT AND AT THEIR OWN PACE. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU DO SOME HARD WORK. YOU REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU’RE AT, WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH YOUR FAMILY. CHANGE WAS EXACTLY WHAT LOUDERMILK NEEDED. SO MANY THINGS HERE TO REALLY HELP US LEARN TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND REALLY HELP US DIVE DEEP AND FIGURE OUT, LIKE WHAT WE’VE HAD THAT’S, YOU KNOW, CAUSING TRAUMA AND WHAT WE HAVEN’T HEALED FROM TO SOMEONE ELSE. MORE TASKS AFTER AN AFTERNOON LUNCH RUSH MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT JUST NEEDS TO GET DONE. FOR LOUDERMILK, IT’S JOB TRAINING, IT’S STRUCTURE. IT’S A WAY TO GIVE BACK. AND THAT ALL STARTED WHEN SHE ASKED FOR HELP. WE ALL HAVE TO BE READY ON OUR TIME, BUT DO NOT BE ASHAMED TO ASK FOR HELP. DO NOT BE ASHAMED. THERE IS. THERE IS STRENGTH IN ASKING FOR HELP. SHE’S FINDING HER STRENGTH AND LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT AS SHE CONTINUES HER PROGRAM WITHIN SAINT JOHN’S. GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY OF WOMEN BECAUSE LIFE HAPPENS ON LIFE’S TERMS AND YOU ARE RESILIENT FOR FOR MAKING THE CHOICE TO GET YOURSELF THROUGH IT. IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY, LEE ANNE DENYER KCRA THREE NEWS. FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN THE WORK THAT THEY’RE DOING THERE AT THE SAINT JOHN’S PROGRAM FOR REAL CHANGE, YOU CAN TAKE A TOUR, VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME, OR DONATE MONEY. PEOPLE CAN SUP
Saint John’s Program for Real Change offers hope to Sacramento women and children
Saint John’s Program for Real Change in Sacramento provides wraparound services and a supportive community to help women and children rebuild their lives.
Updated: 12:28 AM PST Jan 8, 2026
For more than 40 years, Saint John’s Program for Real Change has been a lifeline for women and children in Sacramento, offering safe housing and a wide range of services to help them stabilize their lives.“The idea behind real change is that we are looking for people that really want to work towards change, for themselves and for their families,” said CEO Scott Richards. Lauren Loudermilk, 35, said she was on the verge of “breakdown”, had been evicted and was preparing to live on the streets of Sacramento when a family member connected her to Saint John’s.“I was about to lose everything,” she said. “If I were not at Saint John’s, I would be on the street. I would be. And it’s scary to think, because I would not be healthy. There’s nowhere you can be on the street and be healthy.”Loudermilk said, for the first time in her life, she’s felt able to combat the inner and outer challenges she has faced over the years. “What’s most beneficial to me here is the testimonies,” she said. “There are so many things here to really help us learn to take care of ourselves and really help us dive deep and figure out, like, what we’ve had that’s causing trauma, what we haven’t healed from.”Services offered to the women participating in the program range from behavioral health, to education, job training, and family services. Childcare and housing are also provided. “We provide the space to allow people to figure out where they want to go, help them give the resources and skills development that they need so they can reach those goals,” Richards said.As she continues her program within Saint John’s, Loudermilk is continuing to build her strength and resiliency — and looking for employment.“We all have to be ready on our time, but don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Do not be ashamed. There’s, there’s strength in asking for help,” she said.For those interested in supporting the work at Saint John’s Program for Real Change, opportunities are available to take a tour, volunteer, or donate to support individual clients, families, and specific programs.Saint John’s Program for Real Change is a nonprofit organization whose programming is possible due to city, county and state partnerships as well as private and corporate donations. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
For more than 40 years, Saint John’s Program for Real Change has been a lifeline for women and children in Sacramento, offering safe housing and a wide range of services to help them stabilize their lives.
“The idea behind real change is that we are looking for people that really want to work towards change, for themselves and for their families,” said CEO Scott Richards.
Lauren Loudermilk, 35, said she was on the verge of “breakdown”, had been evicted and was preparing to live on the streets of Sacramento when a family member connected her to Saint John’s.
“I was about to lose everything,” she said. “If I were not at Saint John’s, I would be on the street. I would be. And it’s scary to think, because I would not be healthy. There’s nowhere you can be on the street and be healthy.”
Loudermilk said, for the first time in her life, she’s felt able to combat the inner and outer challenges she has faced over the years.
“What’s most beneficial to me here is the testimonies,” she said. “There are so many things here to really help us learn to take care of ourselves and really help us dive deep and figure out, like, what we’ve had that’s causing trauma, what we haven’t healed from.”
Services offered to the women participating in the program range from behavioral health, to education, job training, and family services. Childcare and housing are also provided.
“We provide the space to allow people to figure out where they want to go, help them give the resources and skills development that they need so they can reach those goals,” Richards said.
As she continues her program within Saint John’s, Loudermilk is continuing to build her strength and resiliency — and looking for employment.
“We all have to be ready on our time, but don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Do not be ashamed. There’s, there’s strength in asking for help,” she said.
For those interested in supporting the work at Saint John’s Program for Real Change, opportunities are available to take a tour, volunteer, or donate to support individual clients, families, and specific programs.
Saint John’s Program for Real Change is a nonprofit organization whose programming is possible due to city, county and state partnerships as well as private and corporate donations.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel