Home #1
Saul and his three children live in Home 1. They are so happy to be in their lovely, two-bedroom apartment. Saul spent 14 years as a casino worker but then lost his job due to contracting Covid. He worked for a relative in the moving business for a while, but the pandemic and local fires created unfavorable economic conditions so, unfortunately, that job did not last. He and his family were evicted from their house in Windsor and had to scramble to find shelter.
The family camped for a week in a nearby campground prior to moving into a hotel where they stayed until moving into their apartment with the aid of Catholic Charities.
Saul and son were really happy as they walked through their newly furnished home; there were a lot of grateful “Wows” and BIG smiles! Unfortunately, the other two children were not able to be there that afternoon.
Saul, in his quiet and sincere manner noted, "I appreciate you guys and all you did. Really appreciate it."
The 5 year old son was so happy with his wolf-themed bedding and the new dresser for his clothes. He was also excited to play with his new toys and even invited all of us to play with him.
Home #2
Home 2 is where Josh lives. Five years ago, he and his girlfriend had an apartment and he had a good job. Unfortunately, the relationship didn’t work out and, at the same time, he got laid off.
With nowhere to go, he briefly ended up in a homeless shelter. When his time ran out at the shelter, he began living in his truck, which he has done for the last several years.
He is so happy now to have found an apartment and is excited at the prospect of it being furnished by our generous community.
Josh entered his apartment and teared up. "Oh my God, I didn't expect ..." was all he could say at the outset. He immediately went to our lead volunteer for his home and gave him a big hug. "Thank you so, so much," he said. He shook his head in disbelief when he saw his bedroom and couldn't really say anything. When we asked him if he liked his new bed, he smiled the biggest smile. "Oh, yes, it felt so wonderful. I wanted to stay in there all day. But I had to go to work. After living in my truck for almost five years, it felt amazing." The warm hug and gratitude say it all. Thank you to everyone who made it happen.
Home #3
Lisa and her 13-yr-old daughter live in Home 3. They were just making ends meet before the pandemic. Although rent was high, Lisa's full-time work as a security guard for a retail location allowed them to stay above water. However, when everything came to a halt in 2020, her position was eliminated. She was offered a transfer to hospital security, but fearing for the health and safety of her daughter, who has underlying medical issues, she turned it down. Unfortunately, that meant that she was not eligible for unemployment while she looked for new work.
In the months that it took to find a new job, Lisa found herself sinking into a terrible financial position. Bills were piling up and she could not make rent anymore. Not wanting to have an eviction on her record, she moved herself and her daughter into a motel. For a while they alternated between staying at friends houses and staying in motels until they were able to get into Catholic Charity transitional housing.
They’re now in their new apartment and feel blessed every day. Lisa says she is learning how to plan for her future and is being smarter with her money while trying to set a better example for her daughter.
Lisa & her daughter are thrilled with their new home. They admitted they had been nervous about how it was going to look but both were so happy when they returned. it was way better than they ever imagined; they couldn't believe that it was really all theirs.