Joan, a single woman in her mid-50s, reached out to our Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance (EPRA) program when she entered a local sober living facility in Pasadena. Recovering from substance abuse and mental health issues, Joan was afraid that, with limited income, she risked being kicked out of the facility and becoming homeless again.
EPRA has worked with the staff at Casa Treatment Center in the past to assist women who are rebuilding their lives. When she first contacted EPRA for assistance we were unable to help because we had already exceeded our funding limit for the month. Working proactively, Joan secured assistance from a partner organization in Pasadena and her persistence demonstrated that she was highly motivated for success. She contacted EPRA a few months later, after that support ran out, and we agreed to cover a few months of her sober living residence fees.
Stacey, the director of the EPRA program, communicated with Joan about possible job opportunities and also worked with her on her resume. Joan had a strong resume and solid professional experience. She just needed to find the right opportunity. Within only a few weeks, she had secured a full-time position as an account executive for a company outside of Pasadena. Although it was a long commute, Joan gave it a try and had a long-range plan for carefully transitioning out of sober living and moving to her own place. She sent Stacey a thoughtful thank-you card in which she wrote, “Thank you so much for your support! You have changed my life.” Sometimes just a small amount of assistance to a client at just the right time can be the catalyst for a new beginning.