Client story: Mona

Mona is a grandmother who has sole custody of two school-aged children. As a domestic housekeeper who often works long hours to support her family, she relies heavily on her limited income to meet rent payments, buy groceries, and ensure that her grandchildren have the basic items they need to be successful at school. When Mona lost her job due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself unable to afford monthly rent, food, and necessities for her grandchildren to go to school.

As Mona’s financial struggles quickly deepened, she moved her family into her car and was forced to contend with constantly finding accessible Wi-Fi that would allow her grandchildren to attend school virtually while she continued to look for employment. Accessing shelters was difficult and potentially dangerous due to Mona’s documentation status. (Her grandchildren are U.S. citizens, but she is not.)

When Mona arrived at Catholic Charities’ doorstep, she and her grandchildren had been living in her car for several months. A case manager with our Family Services team worked with Mona to assess her and the children’s needs, then partnered with her to help the family achieve their housing and other basic needs. Mona was put on the list for long-term subsidized housing, and although there was a three-month wait, she and her grandchildren eventually found a new home.

Once complete, The Annex will offer a safety net for individuals and families like Mona’s, ensuring we can prevent our clients from falling into or experiencing chronic homelessness. Short-term housing solutions offer an opportunity to stabilize families while our wraparound services ensure families can remain stable and thrive once they find permanent housing.