Nancy's New Beginning

In 2020, when Nancy was in her late 60s, she became homeless for the first time in over 30 years. She had been working as a live-in caregiver, but her client’s health was deteriorating, and his family decided to move him into a care facility. Nancy was given two weeks' notice and was ultimately left without a job or a place to live. 

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As her final day of work approached, Nancy scrambled to find housing. She made countless phones calls but found that one person would always recommend she call another. Finally, however, she connected with HomeFirst, and our team was able to assist. Receiving our support prevented her from having to spend any time living on the streets. 

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Nancy participated in a motel program for Veterans that HomeFirst operated during COVID, and she later received interim housing placement at our Rue Ferrari site, where she lived for three years. Nancy was active at Rue Ferrari. She made a few friends and attended as many workshops as she could, which were hosted by the site’s Community Engagement Coordinator and volunteers who donated their time. Her goal was to find permanent housing, and she hoped to soak up any new and useful information that the workshops might offer. 

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Now, with the help of HomeFirst staff and a caring community of donors, Nancy lives in a one-bedroom, two-story, loft-style apartment in San Jose, along with her beloved beagle-chihuahua mix. She hopes that, in time, she will have friends over for a meal. 

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Nancy has expressed gratitude for HomeFirst and those who support our mission. She suggests that anyone who needs assistance reach out and encourages people to keep in mind that every situation, regardless of its difficulty, is always temporary.