Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article Paul Gowins was just trying to help his daughter. Over the phone, he heard her cries, as she revealed that her marriage had broken up, and that she was living on the Colorado streets with her 20-year-old daughter. “Come home,” Gowins said. Gowins, a multimedia producer who had […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article Sitting at home with her right ankle on ice, dance instructor Kehinde Kujichagulia-Seitu might have been better off if she had snapped her Achilles tendon instead of slightly tearing it. Sure, a torn Achilles would have required surgery and six-month rehab, but at least there would have been […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article Nichelle Lacy only had three days’ notice before she was laid off at White River Transportation. The single mom was handling a work assignment in September when her boss broke the bad news — the Pleasanton office was shutting down, and she would soon collect her last paycheck. […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article At the very worst moment during their very worst year, Mary and Rafael looked at each other and knew they had run out of options. Homelessness loomed, and all they could do was pray. “We were devastated. Everything was going wrong. At that point, we were just waiting […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article Betty Grant has lived a life of adventure, from spending time with Elvis Presley — he called her “Bet” — to working as a professional dancer. At 79, she was proud to be living on her own in Napa, volunteering at the local hospital, and bringing dance and movement classes to […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article It would have been easy for Agnes Faafiu to blame the persistent fatigue on her long commute, which required her to get up at 5 a.m. for the two-hour train ride from her East Oakland home to Sacramento to work scanning historic documents for the California State Library. But […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article Mary Trejo clearly remembers the day she suffered the injury that would leave her homeless and unable to work. In a simulated prisoner’s attack, Trejo was pushed to the ground. She was expected to regain her balance, but instead fell to the floor, injuring her knee and wrists.The single mother of […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article The week before Thanksgiving, Lucia McNack posted a slideshow on Facebook titled “Celebrating the 8th Year Anniversary of Our Daddy’s New Life.” Tears fill her eyes when she thinks about the “new life” of her husband, Jerry. That doesn’t stop Lucia, 47, from dwelling on his old life: the […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article Ronald Booker was watching television in his Bayview apartment late one night in March when he heard a commotion coming from Third Street nearby. There were often people congregating on the street, he says, so he didn’t think anything of it. Then he heard the fire engines, and saw the […]
Explore OurStories of Hope Share this Article The story of Donald and Nancy Keen has many layers: It is a love story, a story of family and community and of perseverance. The couple will celebrate their 50th anniversary in January. Life has been tough the past several years, but they have been tougher. When things recently became difficult, a […]
