When the Bay Area Shelter-In-Place order went into effect a year ago, the Raphael House team took immediate action to keep our community safe. We soon realized the negative impact the pandemic had on families we serve: many faced layoffs and reduced work hours, and as a result fell behind on rent, mortgage, and utility bills.
In direct response, and thanks to contributions to our Emergency COVID-19 Relief Fund and a grant from the Permira Foundation, Raphael House introduced our Financial Assistance for Family Stability services last fall, providing direct aid to families so they remain housed and financially stable.
One recipient of assistance was Yesenia (pictured above), a hardworking mother of three in our post-shelter Bridge Program. Both she and her husband were laid off from their jobs at SFO due to pandemic-related closures, and soon after needed help paying their rent. Through our Family Stability services, Raphael House provided them with funds to cover rent, allowing them to maintain the housing they had worked so hard to secure.
Yesenia also connected with our Career Development Services (CDS) team to update her resume and cover letter to obtain a janitorial position at a local hospital. Through their collaboration, the CDS team and Yesenia created a polished resume that would instill confidence during her job search. “My new resume is so beautiful, I’m going to frame it!” she said.
We send a sincere thank you to all supporters of our Emergency Relief Fund last year, and to the Permira Foundation for the generous grant!
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