Hear from the Community themselves!
Get a look into the families, youth, and schools that Catalyst SGV has helped
HOPE Stories
A's StoryCatalyst has been working with A's family for over a year in Montebello. A and her children had been homeless since COVID hit in 2020, struggling to find a place to stay. Catalyst helped the family find a shelter, which A stayed
at for 6 months before Catalyst got them into their own rental unit. The family moved into their new home last month! This has been a huge success story - A and her family are so grateful to Catalyst and everyone who helped her during a difficult time in her life. |
C's StoryC and her family have been struggling with homelessness for many years. C's extended family was only able to provide them with limited resources until Catalyst found them a shelter. Later, when C was kicked out of the shelter due to unforeseen circumstances, Catalyst worked with the family and got them into a new shelter where C is currently thriving in. C is now enrolled in school, found a job, and is so grateful that she can provide for her children - something she hadn't been able to do in a long time.
C is extremely grateful to Catalyst and all those who have made it possible for her to get to where she is today. |
T's StoryCatalyst worked with T, a single mother and her son as she was fleeing a DV situation from another state. T didn't know anyone in California and was living off DPSS motel vouchers, often facing housing insecurity when the vouchers ran out. As she will be graduating from school next month, T needs to look for a job and secure housing. While she was able to get a section 8 voucher, she was having trouble finding a rental. Catalyst helped make a referral to a local family shelter and T got accepted into their program starting this week. She was very grateful that the shelter program was a great fit for her and her child until they find permanent housing.
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L's StoryCatalyst supported L and her family when they faced housing instability - living in a motel during L's final year of high school. As L was transitioning to college, we provided her family with funds for clothing, shoes, blankets, a crock pot, and other essentials on top of helping find secure housing. We also introduced L to a local connection near campus for additional support away from home; someone who picked her family up from the airport, took them school shopping, and offered their home for L during Thanksgiving. L and her mother felt extremely grateful for all the support they received from Catalyst's Hope Project.
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K's StoryCatalyst helped K and her household of two parents and one child secure a rental unit. The family's landlord had wanted them out of their rental room by the end of this month and K struggled to find housing due to not having
a credit history. We provided the family with information on affordable housing and helped look for rentals, allowing them to finally find a one-bedroom unit in Rosemead. Catalyst will continue to support them by providing furniture if needed. |
R's StoryA single dad referred to Catalyst by Monterey Park Police Department was living in hotels and his car. After connecting with our case manager, he successfully entered into one of our close partner's program, Family Promise SGV. This unique program focuses on case management for employment ready parents and typically rotated them amongst local congregations to provide the meals, housing and other support- but with COVID, they are housed at local hotels for the duration of their program stay. While dad is getting steadier employment, the program will help him save money to find more permanent housing. Dad also agreed to get support from our peer mentor parent, who will check up on him periodically and give him encouragement along the way.
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TL's StoryCatalyst helped TL, a family of 4 get housed in Arcadia. The family was being evicted and Catalyst connected them to Housing Rights, which assigned them an attorney and no eviction was put on their record. We also helped them obtain a week-long motel voucher as they were motel-hopping for temporary stay. The family is now moved into their new apartment! We helped connect them to receive furniture, clothing, and diapers for children.
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LC's StoryCatalyst recently helped LC's family, a single mother with 3 children, move into their new apartment. The family had been homeless for several months and received help from Catalyst and another organization with motel vouchers. We also helped them with various resources such as clothing, food banks, blankets, tutoring for children, and gift cards. We are now working with the family to get them pre-owned furniture and connect them to an agency that can help pay rent for a few months while the mother can be more financially stable.
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CG's StoryCatalyst has been working with CG, a single mother with two children who have been homeless for many years. Catalyst worked with various shelters and organizations to help this family and CG finally got into a shelter. While in this shelter, CG qualified for a program for affordable housing is now living in a two bedroom apartment with her children. Currently, CG is in school trying to get a certification in drug and alcohol counseling. She is grateful to Catalyst for providing various resources and referrals beyond housing -including a Catalyst workshop on finances.
CG was so thankful for Catalyst that even now that she has been housed, stable, and doing well she still wanted to remain with Catalyst. |
CA's StoryCA had permanent housing until her roommate left and found herself with her two special needs children homeless. Mom was so frightened not to have a place to live with her children. Catalyst paid for two weeks of motel vouchers and Catalyst referred her to at least two other agencies that also helped her with more motel vouchers until she found a place to stay. Catalyst even referred the family to a shelter where mother did interview for and with the help of Catalyst support mother found a place to stay with her children within the SGV area. CA couldn't stop thanking Catalyst for all their support, guidance and helping hand through her housing quest. Catalyst will be working with another partner agency to help this family get furniture donations as well.
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MA's StoryCatalyst has been working with MA's family since December 2022. MA was forced to leave her rental of 9 years because it was going to be tear down and she became homeless with her 4 kids. Catalyst connected her to the DPSS Homeless Program and other agencies that helped provide motel vouchers for a couple of months. MA tried to find housing but kept being rejected because she had too many children. Catalyst was helping MA actively look for domestic violence shelters and connected her to one that was able to take her in. MA officially moved into her shelter March couldn't thank Catalyst enough for all the help and guidance through this difficult journey.
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LA's StoryWhen Catalyst met LA and her 3 children back in December 2022, the family had been jumping from motel to motel when possible and at other times living in their car. LA became homeless after losing their husband and father to an illness and losing half their income. LA struggled getting the kids to school and wished for permanent housing by the start of the new school year in 2023. Catalyst and Family Promise worked together to provide financial support to help with move-in cost. This family of 4 moved into their new permanent housing one week after school started and the children are able to focus on their education now. LA is excited for the next season in their lives.
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More HOPE stories coming!
Adopt-a-School
Gardens
"At one of our local schools, a 5th grade teacher had been teaching through her small container garden outside her classroom over the years, but always dreamed of something larger she could use. Catalyst SGV directed a local Eagle Scout to build and paint seven 4'x8' raised beds for this teacher. After installation, we also secured funding and help from the local Home Depot, community groups from Chinese Evangelical Free Church, and Spark Academy to underwrite the costs of new planting soil, supplies and seeds and plants. Now the school and teacher has a garden classroom able to grow so much more and function as an outdoor learning environment."