From our counselor at the West Orange County Family Services Center.

Rita is a client who has been homeless for many years. She survived living on the streets by teaming up with friends and looking somewhat manly. She comes to our emergency service office on a regular basis for lunches. I sent her to the mental health facility and they helped her get SSI in place.

She also expressed a desire to find her daughter whom she had lost contact with over five years ago. I put her in touch with our Missing Persons Bureau. After many months of searching, her daughter was found. Rita also found out that she had a granddaughter. They had quite an emotional reunion.

Rita is doing better now. She has applied for HUD housing and is able to afford a motel room while she waits for housing assistance. She has purchased a used car. She is waiting for approval for much needed dental work. Rita still relies on Salvation Army services to supplement her grocery needs. Occasionally she asks for gas and clothing vouchers.

Rita is more stable now than the first time she came to The Salvation Army looking for assistance.

From our counselor at the Santa Ana Family Services Center

Valerie Stone came in for assistance. She had a past due utility bill with a disconnection notice. She was unemployed and unable to pay the $179.00 gas bill. We talked about finding employment and gave her counseling on how to do a job search.

She is now employed and is very grateful to The Salvation Army. She wants to send in a donation when she gets back on her feet. She mailed a beautiful thank you note.

From our counselor at Strong Beginnings and Shelter Services

Strong Beginnings - Lola is a single mom with two teenagers and a three year old. When we met, she was unemployed and had been evicted from her apartment. She was collecting TANF (welfare assistance for adults with dependent children). She did not receive child support and was living in a motel. She was driving a car that would not pass a smog test.

Lola became employed as a caregiver for a fitness company. She was on the waiting list for a section 8 voucher. Strong Beginnings paid one week of motel rent per month. She looked for transitional housing while her girls were in school. She then got a second part time job. Strong Beginnings was able to help pay for her move-in costs for her apartment. Strong Beginnings also paid for a car at a Salvation Army auction when her first car was unable to be repaired.

Lola is now sustaining herself and her family without TANF. She occasionally needs assistance to offset a crisis. Her oldest daughter has graduated from high school. She is pursing a license to be a childcare provider and is now looking for a better paying job.

Buffalo Street (Transitional Housing Program) - Mary is a single mom with two children, 8 and 6. She had her first child at 16 and was married to an abusive husband. She had not finished high school and spoke very little English. She came to the Buffalo Street shelter from a domestic violence shelter. She had never worked outside the home.

Mary applied for section 8 housing and was given priority because of her domestic violence background. She found employment a fast-food restaurant during the hours her children were in school. She also received TANF (welfare assistance for adults with dependent children). While in the program, Mary saved money, learned budgeting skills, attended parenting classes and participated in a support group for women to help her learn self-esteem and coping skills. Both she and her children received counseling.

We gave Mary a housing voucher and found an apartment building where they would rent to her without a credit history. She enrolled in English classes. Mary is doing much better now than when she first came to us.