Gina* was referred to the La Casa by the staff at San Francisco Human Services Agency’s CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work Department a few months after she gave birth to her first baby. At her first meeting with La Casa’s counselor, Gina described her anxieties and fears around raising a premature baby. Gina also shared that she was currently homeless and had been couch surfing for much of her pregnancy due to frequent incidents of abuse.
Just before giving birth, Gina had decided to leave her partner and this choice led her to apply for CalWORKs income support. La Casa’s case manager immediately helped Gina create a safety plan that helped Gina think through how she could keep safe in various scenarios. Then they developed a care plan together, visualizing Gina’s needs and goals. With this plan in hand, they began working to find resources that would help Gina reach her next steps.
Although she was struggling with homelessness, Gina was adamant that her first priority was finding a resource to help her heal from the trauma created by her abusive ex and her new responsibility as a mother. Collaborating with her case manager, they were able to find an advocacy group dedicated to providing support for new moms in Gina’s native language.
Once she established this lifeline of comfort and emotional support, Gina was ready to start searching for housing. Together, Gina and her case manager began working with various community partners to find safe, permanent housing options. Gina was determined to succeed and participated in housing workshops and housing searches whenever possible.
As her Domestic Violence Waiver from work responsibilities came to an end, Gina was able to find a job with an agency that helped women like herself.. Creating activities that support women who were experiencing the same trauma she felt gave Gina an incredible sense of joy and purpose.
Gina continued to seek out affordable housing option, and after a few more months Gina received a call informing her that she had been approved for a subsidy! After hearing the good news, Gina met with her case manager to find a unit that would qualify for the subsidy program. A few weeks later, her quest was complete,. Gina found a unit in her price range in a neighborhood that she liked, and today Gina continues to build a safe, stable, nurturing home for her family.
*Client names have been changed to preserve client confidentiality