Dominique’s Journey Home
When Dominique LaPointe first arrived at the Rescue Mission, she carried not only a backpack but the weight of years of struggle, pain, and perseverance. At just 18, after leaving her adoptive family’s home in Baldwinsville, life took a difficult turn. Introduced to drugs and facing an unexpected pregnancy, Dominique soon found herself without a home—sleeping on benches and in a tent wherever she could find space and safety.
"Life being homeless is devastating. It's hard. It puts you in a place that wouldn't ever think that you'd be in."
Dominique Rescue Mission Client, 2025 Hope Awards Honoree
“Life being homeless is devastating,” she recalls. “It puts you in a place you never thought you’d be.”
Dominique’s story began with hardship. As a baby, she suffered abuse at the hands of her biological mother—broken ribs and a fractured arm before she was even six months old. Adopted by a loving family, Dominique was given a new start, but as she grew older, she longed to reconnect with her birth parents. That decision, she reflects, led to choices and experiences that changed the course of her life.
Yet, at the heart of Dominique’s journey is redemption. Her motivation to change came from her daughter. “I have a seven-year-old daughter, and I wanted to be back in her life. I want her to know that I love her,” Dominique shares with a hopeful smile.
"I’m happy [...] I want to be successful in life. I want my daughter to know that I love her."
Dominique Rescue Mission Client, 2025 Hope Awards HonoreeToday, thanks to the support and compassion she found at the Rescue Mission, Dominique is rebuilding her life—sober, stable, and focused on a future filled with purpose. “Life is good. I can’t complain,” she says. “I’m happy and where I want to be right now.”
To her adoptive mother, she offers a simple but powerful message: “I love you, and I miss you.”
Your support makes stories like Dominique’s possible. Thank you for helping transform lives—one heart, one home, and one new beginning at a time.
