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Home 1 was referred to us by North Marin Community Services. This family fled Guatemala five years ago, escaping assault and harassment conditions and came to Novato where they had family. The entire family has been living in one bedroom until Dad found work so they could get their own place. They recently moved into a two bedroom, 1.5  bath apartment in Novato, but they need furniture! They’ve been sleeping on the floor for way too long. This sweet family is so excited to have a place of their own to call home!

Home 2 is where Beth, Dan and their daughter Mary live; this will truly be a fresh start for them. They were referred to us by North Marin Community Services. And we can’t forget Marvin, the big, sweet, four-legged member of the family! Beth and Dan are Marin residents who lost everything in September when their dryer caught fire. Living in a local hotel for the last month has been difficult. They have now secured an apartment and we want to make it a warm, comfortable home for them. Both parents work locally and Mary attends a local pre-school.

Gia and her family live in Home 3; they were also referred to us by North Marin Community Services. The fsamily moved from Guatemala to the US in 2015. After a traumatic start to their lives here, Gia and her 3 children, aged 21, 12, and 8, moved into an apartment cobbling together furniture from the dump and left on the side of roads. In spite of the rocky start, Gia’s children are all bilingual and successful in school and work. They spend any free time at the local park playing with their little dogs. Her youngest son loves soccer and her daughter hopes to be a police officer. Gia works for a local restaurant and her oldest son works for a national company contributing his salary toward the rent. Gia’s hopes are that her children will all be happy and successful. For herself. Gia just wants more shifts at work. This family is living in a two bedroom apartment that we are looking forward to making a more comfortable home.

Sheila and her 83-year-old mother, Melanie, were referred to us by Marin Housing Authority, they live in Home 4. Several years ago, Sheila experienced two devastating losses. Although deeply depressed, she somehow found the strength to continue working as a merchandiser for a retail store in Marin. However, the store was not able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and Sheila lost her job. With no income to pay her rent, she began living in her car. During these years, Sheila learned that her mother had been diagnosed with dementia. To make matters worse, Melanie fell and broke her hip. Sheila realized that she would have to make every effort to get back on her feet to support her mother and herself. Once again Sheila mustered the strength to carry on. She found a job and received financial assistance in locating an apartment for the two of them. Now, with help from Welcoming Home, a new journey begins for Sheila and Melanie. They realize that challenges lie ahead, but they look forward to living a stable life together in a comfortable home where they can support and care for each other.