During the COVID pandemic, Jessica Madrid and her daughter, now 6, lived out of a car, in motels and anywhere else they could find. Both of Madrid’s parents and the father of her daughter are deceased.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of things in my life,” Madrid said, “and that left me homeless.”
Madrid found stability in a homeless facility run by SHELTER Inc, a foundation she needed to help her get back on her feet and into a residence of her own.
SHELTER Inc. provides support for struggling families and individuals in Contra Costa, Solano and Sacramento counties, providing shelter and assistance to prevent homelessness and help people become self-sufficient and find more permanent housing. Last year, its programs served more than 3,700 individuals representing 2,200 families in three counties. Of those, 32% were children, 10% were seniors and 7% were veterans.
“Sometimes, people go through struggles in life and don’t have families and friends who can help them,” case manager Victoria Houchins said. “SHELTER Inc. can give them a second chance to start over and do it on their own.”
Through the East Bay Times’ Share the Spirit program to highlight nonprofit organizations serving our neighbors in need, SHELTER Inc. is hoping to raise $20,000 for its Mountain View Family Shelter in Martinez to help with operations, client needs and supplies. The funds will provide the costs to house, feed and provide supportive services and supplies for 11 families, including 12 children under the age of 18 and their parents, for one month.
Those who are accepted into the shelter are guaranteed a stay of at least 90 days. After that, Houchins said residents who can show they are making progress on setting goals are given 30-day extensions. Houchins said most residents say between six months to a year.
“I was there for two years,” said Madrid, who was allowed to stay longer because of the difficulties presented by the pandemic.
Autumn Wolf is trying to follow Madrid’s path from a homeless shelter to her own place. Wolf is a single mother, raising a newborn daughter and a 4-year-old son in a SHELTER Inc. facility in Martinez.Wolf, 25, briefly stayed in the shelter as a teenager and recently returned after she lost her source of income. She had bounced from hotel to hotel for several months. At one point during her second pregnancy, she started driving toward Tennessee with her son in a desperate attempt to start a new life. She made it 83 miles before she changed her mind.
“God knew what he was doing when he turned me around,” Wolf said.
Mountain View Family Shelter exclusively provides a safe stable place to stay, along with food transportation and on-site services, for homeless families that have at least one child under 18. It is open round the clock, 7 days a week.
“A lot of people who come in here don’t really have a family, and so you end up growing on the people who live there with you,” Houchins said. “You eat together, do things together, and share interests. You grow a second family while you’re here.”
The families in the facility share a unique bond, according to Wolf.
“I have a great relationship with them,” Wolf said.
Added Madrid, “My daughter became friends with the people there, and they became family for us.”
The non-profit also helps occupants get into their own homes through a company called Hope Solutions.
“People at the shelter get what we call a housing navigator from Hope Solutions who will talk to them about their income and what they can afford,” Houchins said. “And then in the background, the navigator will search for apartments.”
“I’ve tried getting housing on my own, and it’s very tough out there,” Madrid said. “The shelter vouches for you and helps you get that housing.”
After two years in the shelter, Madrid and her daughter moved into an apartment in August.
“People go through things,” Madrid said. “Even if it takes a long time to get back on your feet, you can still get back on your feet eventually.“
