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Our Story
The Origin of HOPE Gatekeepers: A Divine Assignment
Jason Martinez had a story, just like each of us.
He grew up as a little boy in a home shaped by hardship, raised by his single father alongside two brothers. Like many children of broken homes, Jason longed for stability—he would watch other families and quietly wish for the sense of normalcy he never had.
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At 17, he started dating Misty. Three years later, they welcomed a baby girl into the world and shortly after married. Jason wanted to be the provider, the protector, the young man who could give his family everything he once longed for. But by the age of 21, the weight of bills, responsibility, and uncertainty pressed heavily on his shoulders. He struggled silently, unsure of where to turn or how to ask for help.
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Then, at only 22 years old, Jason made a devastating choice. Without a goodbye, he ended his life, leaving behind his wife, his daughter, and everyone who loved him. His story reminds us of the silent battles so many face—and of the urgent need for hope, connection, and healing.
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Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 face some of the highest rates of mental health challenges compared to older populations. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 36.2% of young adults experienced a mental illness within the past year. Similarly, recent findings reveal that 1 in 3 young adults (33.8%) reported experiencing a mental, behavioral, or emotional health issue, marking a notable rise from previous years.
The Story of Restoration
God joined two women of faith to restore the HOPE of touching more lives.
HOPE Gatekeepers was birthed not from a business plan, but from a burden placed on the heart of Misty Mota, a burden for brokenness, and a holy calling to stand in the gap for the wounded, the weary, and the voiceless.
As a young adult, Misty was not only a wife but also a mother when her life was forever changed by the tragic loss of her husband to suicide. In the transition to becoming a single mother raising her beautiful daughter, Angel, she encountered the life-changing presence of God, who carried her through grief and trauma. Instead of being consumed by despair, Misty chose to stand, and from that place of obedience, the Lord gave her the name: “HOPE Gatekeepers” those who guard the gate where hope enters.
Misty began by simply walking in faith, offering mental health advocacy, emotional support, and spiritual encouragement to those navigating pain and loss. Her heart vision, orchestrated by the Holy Spirit, was not about numbers or programs; it was about seeing the one, healing the one, and restoring the one through the love of Jesus Christ.
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Her obedience soon connected her with Jasmine Griffis, whose own story began in kinship care with her maternal great aunt, alongside a few siblings, after being separated from her mother. As a young person, Jasmine was introduced to the Pasadena Youth Christian Center (PYCC), where Brother Edward Bryant ushered in children and youth with games, fun, and fellowship while guiding them to the pathway of Jesus Christ. For Jasmine, PYCC became a spiritual home that developed her early walk with Christ and deposited a foundation of faith that would carry her throughout her life. Though not all of her siblings journeyed through PYCC, each encountered its influence at some point in their upbringing. These moments of guidance planted seeds of hope in Jasmine’s life during a season marked by heartbreak and transition.
These individual journeys, though different, were always leading to a divine intersection. What began as separate seeds of hope in Misty and Jasmine’s lives would one day converge into a shared mandate.