Margarita's Healing Journey to Home

"Margarita is working so hard to heal her body and find a home to call her own. It's a joy working with such a thoughtful and hard-working person who brings warmth and community spirit to the site." - Lisa, HomeFirst Community Engagement Coordinator 

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At 60 years old, Margarita became homeless for the first time in her life. She was living in a home that she rented from her father-in-law, but when he passed away, the home was sold, and she was left with nowhere to go. Margarita spent some time in a HomeFirst shelter and a warming center, before receiving housing placement at Bernal, one of our interim housing sites. Moving to Bernal was a relief. Thanks to the City of San Jose and compassionate donors, the site provides Margarita with a door she can lock, regular meals, and a place where her cat feels comfortable. She has even built community at the site, despite being an introvert. 

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Margarita’s health has improved significantly since moving to Bernal. She has gained needed weight and even took it upon herself to book appointments with a physical therapist to address an old injury. She has also attended a number of health-related workshops on site, including yoga hosted by Bernal’s Community Engagement Coordinator, and an oral health class which was held by a volunteer from Pacific Clinics. 

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Margarita believes that with positivity and determination she will obtain permanent housing. She is on the waitlist for a housing voucher and meets with her case manager every other week. In between these meetings she does house hunting research for affordable housing options, keeping organized notes.  

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HomeFirst is pleased to be a part of Margarita’s success thus far, and with the support of our community of donors, we will continue to support her on her journey to permanent housing. Like Margarita, we understand how vital interim housing can be, and we encourage anyone in need of housing assistance to reach out for support.