Testimonials
“I came into the Cabrito House looking for a new way of life. I was a drug addict and an alcoholic for 28 years. I wanted to change, but I didn’t know how. I ended up being a resident for 10 1/2 months. Then I got the opportunity to be the assistant manger. I did this for 6 months, and then another 2 years as the manager. The Cabrito house taught me the tools that I needed to remain sober.”
-Toby, Sobriety date 9/17/12
I'd been going to meetings in San Fernando and Sylmar and I was on the VA waiting list for months, hoping for a spot in the Sepulveda drug and alcohol facility. I'd get a month here and a month there, but overall sobriety was elusive. I had a job but found myself living on the streets of the Valley, the latest homelessness came as a result of sleeping with a roommate's wife. I was a drunk and an ass.
I was an apprentice at my job, my journeyman had a few years of sobriety and the owner of the company was struggling to stay sober. They tolerated my behavior but the ice was getting very thin. Rod, the journeyman, had mentioned Cabrito House on several occasions but I (was drinking) and holding out for the VA.
My last drunk was a garden variety debacle, plain and simple. I was broken and finally asked for the number to the Cabrito House. Chuck, the manager, answered the phone and we set a time to meet. I don't remember the day of my interview, but the house was full and Chuck said he'd call me if there was a bed but, I had to go to meetings and remain sober or no dice. Yeah, right! I got the call in early October of 1981. As far as I can remember my last drink was on October 5th, my first day of sobriety was October 6th, the day I moved into the house. As hard-assed as Chuck was, his willingness to look the other way to his strict instructions and my inability to follow them saved my life.
My bed was upstairs, street side. I had a bed. I remember Chuck or Bud would check our beds, they had to be made, not military tight but well dressed and appropriate. In the time I lived under that roof, I made my bed, with pride, every day. Honestly?, it quite possibly was the first thing I consistently did to be a better person. AA was giving me the tools to stay sober, Cabrito was giving me the tools to live. In 1981, I was 26 years old, I'm 65 now and I still have a deep, fond, valuable memory of making my bed, of learning to be responsible.
During my time at the Cabrito House, I found the Hole in the Sky, The Ala Nest, the Thursday Night Meeting in Chatsworth, Clancy from the Westside, Chuck C from Laguna Beach, and a plethora of meetings in Jensen Hall. Old-timers sitting in the back, listening to our every word as we struggled to hear theirs. "Hot damn, Life is in session", "I broke every commandment, bar none", music to our ears... and stepping stones to a new life. Being the cornerstone of the House's foundation, AA was made real and accessible and kinda in your face through the Fellowship that participated in meetings at the house. Thank God.
After Chuck retired Bud took the helm... I became the cook and Jim became the Asst. Manager. There were some very interesting moments during that time. The photographer, a member of the house, used the back for a photoshoot... he worked for Penthouse (the woman were NOT in AA). The drive-by that shot holes in the kitchen exterior wall, The guy that, after leaving the house, made national news by taking people hostage in their house (not sure what became of him), but the real interesting thing was the miracle of growing and living with the men that were struggling to make sense of it all and finding solace and helping me to find some as well.
I 'm a dad, and at that time, my daughters were living in another state. It was hard and I really just wanted my ex to love me, care, anything, something, on some level... I was miserable and mopey. Jim and I were going to meetings all over L.A. and he knew me like no other. We spent hours, anywhere we could get an after meeting cup of coffee, and talked about everything under the sun. There was this girl at meetings, she was gorgeous and I was smitten. Miserable and really lonely for my family, I was a mess. One day a letter arrived at the house, to me. It was from this girl I'd met at meetings... she sent a picture, quite alluring, and wrote: "this is what I look like when I think of you.." I was off to the races... I took that letter everywhere and showed it to anyone that would listen... this went on for a couple of days. Most thought I was crazy, and told me so, she had time and was not interested in a guy like me. I couldn't hear a thing they were saying... finally I begged Jim to take me to find her, her address was on the envelope, that was all I had and I hadn't seen her at any meetings. We drove all over trying to find the street, back then we had Thomas Brother map books. I was relentless, we drove for what seemed like hours. Finally, we gave up and went back to Cabrito. Jim and Bud sat me down, for what I thought was going to be a 'man to man' on my behavior... instead, they told me that they had found her picture and wrote the letter, she probably had no idea who I was and they were petrified that I'd find her and really be taken down a notch. They wanted to get me out of my head for a minute, forget about the family out of state and well, I'm not sure they had a plan much past that... they really didn't think I'd react the way I did. Horrible, huh? I laughed, I laughed at their hi-jinks, at my utter foolish behavior, at what people must think of me, OMG it was funny.
And, I had friends, friends that cared enough to do something so crazy and potentially disastrous and had the courage and integrity to tell me the truth. It was at Cabrito that I learned about unconditional love, these guys, and the men in the house, loved me enough to risk it all that I might get out of myself long enough to meet a new and different me. I carry that lesson to this day. Be careful what you pray for LOL!!!
Mike Kerrigan, Phil, Crazyhorse, Bill Smith to name but a very few of the men (and the many many women) who's shoulders supported the House, and who were constant companions, to the men in the House. These amazing Members of the Fellowship of the Spirit exhibited the qualities talked about in the Big Book. They were sober and as real as any people I'd ever met. I wanted what they had. This October, God willing and One Day at a Time it will be 39 years that I found the Cabrito House... I haven't had a bad day since!
-Mitch, Sobriety Date 10/6/81
“My name is Dustin I was a struggling alcoholic/addict for 30 years. I was raised in a dysfunctional family and suffered with depression. I was in and out of trouble with the law. Suffered from unhealthy relationships and a separation from the world in isolation. I was held down by my negative thoughts and feared I could never change. I was in and out of hospitals and near death many times. I had been homeless, psychotic and completely without hope.
I finally reached out for help. As a stranger to the San Fernando Valley I finally achieved sobriety for the the first time but then fell again into relapse. I knew I needed more than a simple rehabilitation center.
The Cabrito House and it's family opened their doors and hearts to me on March 31st, 2019. Here I was given a chance to learn a new way. I found a place where I could practice the principles I needed. I gained a feeling of belonging among my Brothers and the Fellowship. I learned to take pride in being of service. I found not just hope... but Faith. A solid foundation for my future was given to me.
In a short year I have accomplished many things I thought never possible. My outlook on life has changed. I have a sense of purpose and am filled with an inner strength. I know I never have to be the man I was again. No matter what life throws at me... I have a safe place, a home and friends to rely on. The future holds many great things.
I have the most sincere gratitude for the Cabrito Foundation and its many members and friends - past and present - and those yet to come.”
-Dustin, Sobriety date 04/01/2019
“My name is Andrew. I am an alcoholic and addict. I am a product of the Cabrito Foundation. First and foremost I love what the house does for those who are willing to change and even those who don’t know if they are ready for help and change. Secondly, I love this house. I am proud to say I was a former resident and assistant manager at Cabrito back in 2017. The day I went into the house was the start of my sobriety and wonderful journey that I never thought I would have. I went into the house because I burned all my bridges. I was a methamphetamine user among other things. I destroyed every relationship in my life that includes with my wife and my family. Cabrito House welcomed me with open arms.
I mentioned that this house is for those who are willing and don’t know if they are ready for change; I was the one that didn’t think that I needed help. I was one that that didn’t know if I was ready for changes. But when I first got there, there was a man that said, “As strange as this may sound, this is a magical house.” I undoubtedly now know that this is true. This is a structured house with rules and accountability that will change a person. Cabrito House taught me to work hard and to be responsible. The supporters of this house and all the people that go to meetings here have made a remarkable impact in my life. Most of which are friends and family today.
Today I get to live a life that I never expected and even more. I live at home now with my loving wife and I have my family back in my life. I have a foundation for life and love the community of sobriety I have around me. In short I owe my gratitude to Cabrito Foundation for helping guide me into a better way of living.”
-Andrew, Sobriety Date 4/3/17
“I can’t say enough about Cabrito House and all they’ve done for me. To go from a hopeless state of body and mind, into a joyous, happy and free man is what this place is all about!”
— Jerry, Sobriety Date 12/25/18
“My name is Paul and I am an alcoholic. I first heard of the Cabrito House in the early 1990’s when my cousin went through their program. Unfortunately I was not ready to surrender and did not last for more than a few days. By 2007 I had entered the Cabrito House about 6 times, they never judged me or made me feel anything but welcomed. I was beaten down to a point that Gods grace finally entered my soul.
The structure and strict adherence to the 12 step program that is the Cabrito House saved my life. I was 80 pounds underweight and the shade of gray you get right before die. I cannot thank the men and women of the Cabrito Foundation board of directors enough for always giving me another chance at a new way of life. I didn’t understand that all the rules and structure would be instrumental in my recovery. I was introduced to a group of people that were very involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and showed me through their actions what they were doing to stay clean and sober and live purposeful lives.
I got a sponsor and went through the 12 steps, got a job, went on panels and retreats and eventually started helping other men. I believe one of the greatest assets of the Cabrito House is the exposure to men and women heavily involved in the AA community. I can never repay what was given to me, so one day at a time I try to help others that are looking for a way out of hell.
I cannot recommend the Cabrito House enough to any man that wants a chance at a new life. In my 12 years of Sobriety I have seen countless lives change for the better. May God continue to bless and look over the Cabrito Foundation and the men that enter it. Thank you for allowing me to share my experience.”
-Paul, Sobriety Date 10/23/07
I went through the Cabrito House back in 2007 at a time when I thought I had messed up my life so bad that it couldn't be repaired. In reality it was the beginning of my life as I know it today. I was there 1st as a resident and then an assistant manager. There's a core group of guys that were on the same sinking ship that I was on. We learned what it really meant to be there for each other and they will forever be my friends.
-Larry, Sobriety Date 3/18/19
I first became aware of the Cabrito House while I was fulfilling a court order for a DUI sentence at the Salvation Army. As part of the Salvation Army program, we were required to attend outside meetings as part of our recovery. It was around Christmas time 2018 and I had heard some of the men were attending a meeting that sounded different than the other meetings in the area. But what I was soon to discover was that I no longer had to go to meetings, I get to go to meetings. See, when I first walked into the Cabrito House I was greeted with a celebration of sobriety. It wasn’t a meeting Hall. it was a sober living that had something different. It had an appreciation of the past residents that I have never experienced before.
They spoke about the magic that was in the walls and you could feel it, it was palpable. They spoke about the history and their own experiences while staying at the Cabrito House and how it changed their lives. You see its essence is a place to recover, and to get your feet back underneath you so you can start living up to your potential. I later found this to be true because I am writing this as a past resident. What I discovered, as did the men before me, is that what makes it so special is the support of the men that came before you. I too now am a proud and privileged alumnus of the Cabrito House and continue to stay close to the place that helped save my life. See as the Big Book says, "you have to give it back to receive it”
Thank you Cabrito House.
-Thomas, Sobriety Date 6/5/2018