Walter Hoving Home

John and Elsie Benton have a program that works. They don't take in a dime from the government, so that they are free to teach women about the real source of their redemption and recovery, God. I have been volunteering for the Walter Hoving Home in Pasadena for over a year now, and I find the place to be peaceful and I am so very glad Los Angeles has a place like this...I only wish all the other states had Walter Hoving Homes too. I wish it were larger, to hold more women. The jails are full of wonderful human beings that need a chance to rest and rejuvenate, and to get the care they need to become a person that can survive out in the world...healthy and strong. I pray that God continues to keep the home growing and that more homes are opened. God bless them all. I have also been to the Las Vegas Walter Hoving Home and it is also wonderful. Each women is a prize and worth helping back to health and sanity. I thank God for bringing me in contact with the Walter Hoving Home. Ca more

Walter Hoving Home of Pasadena staff are unforgiving and cold blooded. My daughter was there for one month and during that time she was doing good in the program until a staff member kick her out of the home for smoking. It was only the second time she was busted. They told her to pack her bags and get off the facilities immediately, she could not remain on the grounds any-longer. I found out later that Walter Hoving Home had a long waiting list for beds. A waiting list means money, so if they used your $500 up, and you break any rules, and your not on the streets peddling money for them.....they want you out, and their not going to show you any mercy. I talked with their staff and tried hard to get them to take her back, but they would not under any circumstances back off. This showed me that they are a bunch of cold blooded hypocrites that are only interested in money. I am going to write and make my complaint to the state attorney general, because I believe if they can't bear with a lost child over a minor temptation, they should be shut down. more

I had sought a Christian Program myself. I was NOT Court Ordered to be in a Program...it was strictly my choice. I thought I would have Bible College & become closer to God. However, I quickly experienced HELL. The 50 women there were all Court Ordered to be there except for me. I was questioned, rumors spread to Staff about me...I was treated badly...lied on & lied to. Suddenly rules of the Program changed & @ any given time...without an explanation. Not Christian whatsoever! I entered the program with only the clothes ob my back...however I had with me personal CDs, & Paperwork such as Medical Records, Credit Reports etc...All of my things were stolen including my bathroom items & makeup as well. I left from there within one week with less then I had when I got there. The Staff was hateful...scandalous. \r EVEN THE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THAT I RECEIVED WHILE THERE WAS STOLEN FROM ME. They even kept my Food Stamp Card. & money from my mom & friends.\r PLEASE BE AWARE ... THE WALTER HOVING more

I was very touched by two sisters that came to my door and shared there testimony with me. You can tell that they are turning there lives around and this home is facilitating that change. They have strengthened there relationship with the Lord and are on a great path. I was inspired by them. God Blesses organizations like these. more

It is a cult. They give special treatment to the women whose family is blackmailed in to giving them $500.00. The women are expected to beg twice a week to collect that much per month. If they decide your family speaks out against them, they will be barred from vising there own children and the women are told God Took there parent from them. They told my daughter she should forget about her mother and she should stand behind the staff instead. That is a cult and I think should be shut down. The owners took a vacation every other week, but tell the girls they are broke. When someone donates a time share the girls are not allowed to use it. It is only for the owners. This is a cult say far away from this place. My daughter was in there for drug treatment but got none in there. Forced to do 4 hours of bible study instead. The staff is evil. All the bad choice they make they say its God who did it. God help us from this evil using your name. more

You seem to have some interesting knowledge of the home... so sistet. I spent 16months in this program in CA and NY and I always ate well!!. In fact I put on a few pounds while I was there because there was so much good food. And for all the the years of service and the thousands of people they have helped Mom and Dad B can go on vacations anywhere they want, they should be retired by now. And if you were overseeing three homes across the country you would want to visit them all frequently as well. And how much money do you think it takes to take care of over 100+ women without requiring a dime from them... unfortunately it takes money to run these things and fundraising in this economy is difficult. So FYI.... the walter hoving home changes peoples lives..I'm living proof! more

My name is Leslie Swaner and I have 1st hand experience with this organization. I completed their Program in 1987....and I gained a LASTING and LIFELONG change. I was 22 yrs old when I entered the Program in PASADENA,CA, in 1986. Elsie Benton picked me up from LA County Womans Jail-it was not my first time there...or my tenth for that matter. I was a CHILD PROSTITUTE at age 12,and a FULL BLOWN HEROIN addict by age 13,and the lifestyle continued until I entered the Program on Aug.2,1986. When I came to the Home...I had NOTHING except the clothes on my back, and those were definitly not acceptable.... so I LITERALLY had Nothing. I quit school when I ran away, so again...when I say NOTHING...I mean it. NO education,,NO family and my husband John had died while I was in jail.\r There is no way to make my review short...but I will try. The Home paid for ALL of my needs....ALL OF THEM.Clothes,Food,Education (they have a 12 level program that is required in order to graduate)as well as my more

The home would have a positive influence, but the owners John and Elsie Benton along with their staff, namely Kiyomi, the Director, and Angela, I'm not sure wha here role is really, have a unique way of trying to pull money from people. Because some of the women are former prostitutes, it is hard to not see this as pimping at its finest.\r \r As a Christian based program, the administrators should reflect on how they use scriptures for the "down and out" in making them feel as though it is there duty to be meek and service their masters (ie, the administrators/staff, that have been appointed on Earth by the Lord) ("slavery with a smile"); not complain or question without fear of being reprimanded or discharged from the home.\r \r The home makes money off of women filing for State Food Stamps (instead of being eligible to send the money to their deserving children). The phrase of "your first priority is to this home" is used as validation. The problem is they use the money (food) primarily more

The home would have a positive influence, but the owners John and Elsie along with their staff, namely Kiyomi, the Director, and Angela, I'm not sure wha here role is really, have a unique way of trying to pull money from people. Because some of the women are former prostitutes, it is hard to not see this as pimping at its finest. Pros: A room for women escaping the streets Cons: Misuse of donations and dollars more