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by Valeria Rodriguez and Jackie Cisneros
Like many loving families, Mark’s* own had some challenges. His wife, Joyce, struggled with substance use and the family did all that they could to help her. Because she needed care, Mark would stay home at times to look after her, which affected his ability to maintain a regular work schedule. This impacted the family’s finances. Sadly, Joyce passed away and soon after her death, he and his daughters were evicted.
Mark struggled to keep up with the cost-of-living expenses and used up most of his savings to stay in hotels. He sold many of his belongings for extra cash, but it wasn’t enough. Soon after, Mark and his three daughters began living in his van, four months after Joyce’s passing.
He lost all hope but was finally connected to StarVista’s Bringing Families Home Program. Here, he met a housing specialist who helped him, and his family get connected to a rapid rehousing program aimed at providing rental subsidies and housing searches. While Mark and his family were searching for housing through the rapid rehousing program, the housing specialist got approval to fund three months of a hotel stay during their transition to permanent housing.
The hotel stays reduced further fear, anxiety, and harassment that Mark and his daughters faced while living in their vehicle. While living in the van, they did not get adequate sleep, as they frequently feared that the police would ask them to leave, or strangers would bother them, or try to harm them. It was quite frightening.
Living in their vehicle also prevented his daughters from attending school, as the only places they could stay were too far from their district. Mark had also started a new job, which was wonderful, but made it difficult for his daughters to get to school. This left his 17-year-old daughter to care for her younger sisters.
While Mark was working with the housing specialist, he was also working with a case manager from our Differential Response Program. He and his case manager worked on getting connected with counseling services, as neither he nor his kids had any real time to process Joyce’s death, along with the traumas of being unhoused. His case manager and housing specialist worked closely together, collaborating in ways to improve their lives. After months of staying in hotels, dealing with behavioral issues with his daughters, and missing a significant amount of school, Mark was finally approved for an apartment.
The housing specialist advocated for furnishing his new apartment, and this request was approved. StarVista’s Bringing Families Home Program successfully furnished his new apartment, providing beds for each family member, dressers, a table with chairs, a couch, pillows, and blankets. Mark also had some of his family’s belongings in storage, and our staff secured funding to move their items from storage to his new home. The housing specialist was able to close the case with Mark as a successful completion of the program, meeting their needs and more.
Today, while his housing is secure, Mark continues to work with his case manager to address grief, stress, work-life balance, and the behavioral and the scholastic issues his daughters face. They are able to do this in the comfort and safety of their new home rather than the cold, dark, and unsafe vehicle in which they were previously living in.
Bringing Families Home is a new state-funded program within StarVista’s Differential Response Program aimed at helping families at risk of homelessness who are working with San Mateo County’s Children and Family Services to maintain stable housing. StarVista helps children, youth, adults, and families navigate life’s challenges by empowering individuals, inspiring hope, and strengthening communities. StarVista sees the potential in clients to overcome life’s challenges.
StarVista is one of the beneficiaries of The Almanac’s Holiday Fund. Donations are divided equally among this year’s 10 nonprofit organizations and 100% of the funds raised go directly to the recipients. Donations to the Holiday Fund can be made at almanacnews.com/holiday_fund.
*Name and some details changed to protect confidentiality
Valeria Rodriguez and Jackie Cisneros are StarVista staff members.
