When Maria Velazquez arrived in San Francisco from Mexico City in 2000, she carried with her the hopes of a better life for herself and children. With her teenage daughter Marisol by her side, she stepped into a new city filled with promise but also with challenges. Her young son Miguel stayed behind in Mexico for a time, cared for by Maria’s mother, until he could join his sister in their new home two years later.
Maria’s sisters had already made the journey north, assuring her that San Francisco could offer more opportunities than she would find back home. Taking that leap of faith, Maria threw herself into work—three jobs at once: prepping food in a restaurant, serving rooms in a hotel, and stocking shelves in a shoe store. “It was a lot of work, but I was happy,” she recalls.
Life grew more complicated as her family expanded. In her mid-thirties, Maria welcomed two more children, Aliyah and Lisandro. Caring for a baby while balancing work proved overwhelming, and Maria found herself struggling. By then, she was living across the street from GLIDE on Ellis Street, watching the comings and goings of families each day. Her sister encouraged her: Why don’t you go and ask them for help?
That step through GLIDE’s doors changed everything.
Maria remembers first meeting staff members Alana and Russell, who saw the strain she was under. “They called me a week later to say they had a place for Lisandro, who was just a toddler. Later, Aliyah joined too.” Soon, not only Maria’s children but also her grandson Kevin and her sister’s children became part of GLIDE’s Family Resource Center (located at 330 Ellis Street). Together, they accessed preschool, afterschool programs, parenting classes, child development workshops, and summer camps that became the foundation of their growth.
What made the difference, Maria says, wasn’t just the academics. “The kids learned so much—not just reading and math, but how to brush their teeth, how to use the bathroom, and how to behave. Their teacher was strict but very caring.” In their home, Spanish was the language of love and tradition, but it was at GLIDE where her children learned English, opening new doors for their future.
GLIDE’s Family Resource Center supports the entire family, also referring parents and their kids to other GLIDE resources and programs.
And more than 15 years later, things couldn’t be brighter for Maria’s children. Aliyah is 19 and studying mechanical engineering at UC Santa Barbara. Lisandro, nearly 18, is at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Her grandson Kevin is in high school at Galileo Academy in San Francisco. Maria beams with pride as she speaks of them, knowing that the foundation laid at GLIDE has helped carry them forward.
But Maria also insists that the Family Resource Center wasn’t just there for her children—it was there for her. “GLIDE helps not only the kids but also the parents. They always ask how you are doing, how things are at home, how your job is going. They care about the whole family.”
Looking back, Maria’s gratitude shines through. “I only have good things to say about GLIDE. They took really good care of my kids, and I’ll always be grateful.”
Her story is one of resilience, of a mother’s determination, and of the power of a community that embraces families through every stage of struggle and growth.
For Maria, GLIDE was not just a resource, it offered coordinated care across multiple areas of her life. In short, it was a lifeline.