Bouncing from one foster family to another and moving in and out homeless shelters were norms for Cindy Guevara of Los Angeles.
“I went through so much struggle,” said Guevara, a single mom with three children.
But she decided to turn the corner.
She took advantage of programs that taught her helpful life skills that she never got to learn, including budgeting and time management, from Holliday’s Helping Hands, a nonprofit dedicated to finding interim housing for families and pregnant women experiencing homelessness.
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Through the organization, Guevara received vouchers for a new affordable housing complex, and she and her three children were placed in permanent housing.
“Her turn came up since she had a voucher,” explained Katrina Holliday, the founder of the nonprofit.
“This is the best gift God could have given me,” Guevara said. “[I’m] blessed to have a roof over my head for me and the children.”
As the organization surprised Guevara with a new home, it also gifted her with a professional camera to bring her closer to her goal as Guevara is pursuing her dream of becoming a photographer and going to a film school.
“The support for me and my family – I’m grateful to have a head start for my school,” said Guevara.