Collaboration and Persistence Win!

“For this article, please call me Roberta. I’m 74 years old and was born and raised here in Santa Clara County. I’m not using my real name because I’m very private, but I sincerely appreciate all the help I’ve received from several volunteers at The United Effort Organization and many others across Santa Clara County. I also want people to know: Ask for help before you lose your housing. 

In October of 2022, I walked away from my apartment. I had been struggling to keep up with rent for some time after running through all my savings. I had no income, no idea what to do, and was so scared about being evicted that I just gave up. Adrianna at the Here4You hotline talked with me and connected me to Wei, a volunteer at The United Effort Organization, who also collaborated with Pratima and Alpana at Helping Hands Silicon Valley to help me. They were trying to get homelessness prevention funds from Sunnyvale Community Services Agency but that had been taking quite a while. Everyone was so helpful but I became so down and depressed, I just left my apartment. I went to downtown Mountain View, where I lived and slept outside. Life on the streets is very unkind, especially to women.”

At one point, the organizations all lost touch with Roberta until Lisa, from Here4You, found her behind the CVS pharmacy in Mountain View and called Wei, who went and spoke to Roberta.

“Wei told me about Hope’s Corner (meals, showers and laundry) and The United Effort (assistance finding benefits programs and housing), and encouraged me to visit both. I started going on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings. It was a life-saver. I was able to shower & eat at Hope’s Corner, then get help from volunteers at The United Effort, including applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal and Supplemental Security Income (SSI),” Roberta said. 

Another volunteer at The United Effort, Claire, even offered her own van for Roberta to sleep in until she could get into interim housing in Mountain View. 

“Having the van as a temporary place to sleep made such a difference,” Roberta said. “The United Effort tried to convince me to go to a shelter, but I had never done that before and was scared until another volunteer, Charlie, described it to me in detail. I then took their help to apply for the wait list. I didn’t have a cell phone yet, so Here4You called Wei when a bed was available, and another volunteer, Dave, helped me get there. I could not believe how The United Effort volunteers just kept collaborating and working to find permanent housing for me, and also coordinated efforts with Here4You and Helping Hands SV. The mentoring and moral support was so uplifting!”

Once Roberta had a Medi-Cal card, The United Effort was able to get her a free LifeLine phone, which has been a life-saver. 

“There were so many things I didn’t know about. For example, I didn’t realize I should have applied for SSI when I was 65 and had no income - that could have helped me starting 7 years ago!” Roberta also didn’t realize she could have asked for help sooner, when she knew her savings were dwindling, rather than waiting until all her money was gone. “Had I known, it might have saved me from this episode of being unhoused!”

Next, Charlie helped Roberta fill out a waitlist application for an apartment in Palo Alto. Once a unit became available, volunteers at The United Effort helped Roberta get through the rest of the application process, making sure all requested documents and information were submitted on time and coordinating with the apartment management to facilitate the application process. It would have been nearly impossible for Roberta, who doesn’t drive and isn’t tech literate, to do it on her own.

In June of 2023 Roberta finally moved into a SRO (single room occupancy) in Palo Alto. Wei said, “Over many months, it was a great team effort helping Roberta stay housed in Santa Clara County. From finding her behind a CVS store in Mountain View, loaning her a van to sleep in so she didn’t have to sleep on the streets, helping her apply for benefits, getting her into interim housing, finding an apartment that she can afford, as well as showing her how to take the bus! What’s critical was continuously giving her moral support, because it is always complicated and stressful finding relevant benefits and housing.”

This is a great example of how The United Effort Organization collaborates with Here4You, Helping Hands Silicon Valley, and Hope’s Corner to help people in our community. 

Roberta’s story is a testament to the power of collaboration and persistence. Despite the overwhelming challenges she faced, the coordinated efforts of multiple organizations and volunteers provided her with the support she needed to regain stability. From living on the streets to finding temporary shelter in a van, and eventually securing permanent housing, Roberta’s journey highlights the importance of asking for help and the impact that compassionate, dedicated volunteers can have on someone’s life. Her experience serves as an inspiration and a reminder that, with the right support, it is possible to overcome even the most difficult circumstances.