> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Focus on homeless who turned it around - URL: https://www.smdp.com/focus-on-homeless-who-turned-it-around/ - Published: 2005-09-24T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T07:49:11.000Z - Author: Guest Author - Tags: Community, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness went from having a life she calls normal to living in her store, then in her minivan. “It was scary to have something and then have nothing,” said Lukvec, who now lives in Santa Monica. “I felt powerless and like I couldn’t take care of my children.” Lukvec, 41, sustained her motivation throughout her entire brush with homelessness. She tried to make life as normal as possible for her children by making them feel important, keeping them in school, and making the experience seem fun. She moved from the Valley to Santa Monica in 2000 because she felt the streets were safe enough to live on. She found a job as a nanny, but still lived in her minivan. Lukvec and 24 other former homeless people were honored Friday by a coalition of social service providers who have helped them gain self-sufficiency. Lukvec was lifted out of homelessness after she turned to Upward Bound House in 2001\. The social service provider helped her organize her life and re-build her self-esteem. “It’s nice these events occur,” Lukvec said. “It gives me motivation because I don’t think people care. I just think I’m doing this for my family.” The coalition gave Lukvec an award for her pursuit of a higher education. She has an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Santa Monica College and is currently on the dean’s list at California State University Dominguez Hills, where she is a double major in psychology and Spanish. Other people were honored with awards for employment, giving back to the organizations, determination and overcoming barriers. Various local organizations and the city of Santa Monica also were awarded for their commitment to the homeless problem. “The plight of the homeless can no longer be our dirty little secret,” said actress Wendie Malick, who emceed the event, before the hundreds of people who attended the celebration staged in the parking lot outside of Bergamont Station, an arts complex on the east side of Santa Monica. Malick has supported many organizations of the Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition, which put on the breakfast and is the umbrella organization of the 30 local social service agencies and faith-based groups, among others, that have programs for the homeless and nominated the people who received awards. Each organization could nominate up to two people who were most successful and comfortable speaking in public, said Lisa Fisher, the coalition’s director. The 20-year-old coalition serves as a forum for the organizations to exchange progress, give tips and build awareness, Fisher said. Friday’s event recognizing former homeless people has grown since its 1996 beginning. Nearly 500 people attended the breakfast on Friday — up from 150 nine years ago. A breakfast buffet with three-types of quiche, banana bread and a fruit medley was set up for attendants. City councilmembers Bobby Shriver, Robert Holbrook and Richard Bloom, and government representatives like Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky came to support the cause. However, the focus wasn’t on government programs, but on former homeless individuals and their success stories. The majority told tales of overcoming drug and alcohol abuse, or getting help for mental illness. Cornell Stefin, who was honored for giving back, said his drug addiction put him on the streets of LA. Growing up, he was the “square of the family,” but at 41 with a full-time job and three sons he became a cocaine user, according to a personal profile. Today, Stefin helps others who struggle with the same problems he did. He is a certified drug and alcohol specialist. “A mentor once said ‘If you want some success, I’ll loan you some. You don’t have to give it back,’” Stefin said. “I use that for my clients, too.” Earnest Armor, who was given an award for overcoming multiple barriers, said he spent a lot of time destroying himself. He lived with an undiagnosed mental illness since he was a child, according to a personal profile. He used drugs to escape his symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia. “But when I got a chance to get off the concrete, I quit standing like this,” he said, with his hands held up in a begging motion. “I can look people in the eye, and I don’t have to be ashamed.” A determination honoree, Larry Pittman, slept in backalleys and parking lots in Santa Monica and used money he got begging to sustain his alcohol addiction before getting help for his mental disability, according to a personal profile. “I chose the wrong path. I got into drugs and alcohol, lost my children,” Pittman said. “Then, I was invited to a church for a hamburger.” That church changed his life, but he still doesn’t get too comfortable because he believes that life can change suddenly. Lukvec can attest to that. But, she said homelessness is behind her now and her 8-year-old girl doesn’t even remember when they slept on the floor of the family business. Lukvec is still working as a nanny because it pays well and her priority is to care for her children. But, mostly she wants to work as a counselor for distressed teens. “I have so many dreams and goals,” Lukvec said. “I am creating new high expectations for my children.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 24, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/092405.pdf?ref=smdp.com)