The History of the Sanctuary for Second Chances

Our History

The Sanctuary for Second Chances, Inc. was born from a deeply personal journey of grief, healing, and unwavering hope.

Its visionary and founder, Ruth, began her path toward addiction recovery advocacy not as a counselor or professional—but as someone who knew the pain of co-dependency, and later, chemical dependency. When her husband passed away, Ruth struggled in her grieving process and turned to substances in search of relief. But grace met her in the midst of her brokenness. She was gently invited to attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings held within the grounds of the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. That simple invitation began a lifelong journey of healing.

Embracing recovery fully, Ruth soon became instrumental in co-founding CDO – Pathway to Recovery Foundation, a rehabilitation initiative in Northern Mindanao. When she relocated to Metro Manila with her family, she carried her advocacy forward—accompanying others on their path to sobriety, offering support and hope wherever she could.

For years, Ruth envisioned building a non-profit facility that could serve as a place of refuge and renewal—for women. In 2024, and again in April 2025, this dream resurfaced more urgently. She expressed a clear desire for the name to include the word “Sanctuary”. Inspired by her vision, her son began drafting the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws for a non-profit. It was during this process that the name "Sanctuary for Second Chances" emerged.

Soon after, in May 2025, Ruth approached her children with a humble and heartfelt request: a woman and friend in recovery—who had recently relapsed, escaped from her previous rehabilitation center, and was now facing homelessness—was in urgent need of shelter. The friend's own family, deeply affected by her repeated poor decisions, had chosen to enforce tough love as a consequence, withdrawing support to encourage accountability and change. With nowhere to go and only a recovery friend pledging a small monthly allowance, Ruth offered to take her in and personally guide her through recovery. Though Ruth's family had valid concerns about boundaries and privacy, they recognized the urgency of the situation and the sincerity of the mission.

Ruth and her son, Felix, visited a trusted couple in Cavite on May 19, 2025, to share the vision of establishing a recovery house. The ideal location was their rest house in Magallanes, but given the urgency, they inquired about a more accessible nearby property. By Divine Providence, despite having no funds for security deposits or advance rent—only the promise of retroactive payments—the couple responded with generosity. They handed over the keys to a vacant apartment and gave their full blessing.

Just two days later, on May 21, 2025, Ruth opened the doors of that apartment as a temporary recovery shelter—a seed that would soon grow into The Sanctuary for Second Chances, Inc.

In the days that followed, Ruth and Felix prayerfully invited a small circle of trusted individuals—kindred spirits and passionate advocates for healing and second chances—to become the Founding Incorporators and Trustees. These individuals responded with unwavering commitment and gave their own fiat, helping formalize the dream into a duly registered non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization.

What began with one woman in need, one family’s act of faith, and one friend’s quiet generosity gave birth to The Sanctuary for Second Chances, Inc.—not merely as a place, but as a mission: to walk with the wounded, to offer hope to the hopeless, and to open doors again and again for healing, dignity, and life-giving transformation.