Stories of Hope
Impacting Real People. Everyday.
Hope through Housing’s work is all about people and we know we’ve been successful when we witness life changing in individual lives. Following are just a few of our most recent stories of resident success and program highlights.
2025 Housing Advocate of the Year – Marina Wiant
Our Housing Advocate of the Year award is a rare honor, reserved for those whose leadership has profoundly advanced the cause of affordable housing. It recognizes visionaries whose work not only shapes policy, but also transforms lives – ensuring that families,...
More Stories of Hope
Hope through Housing Helps Revive Student’s Dreams
When Melrose Villas resident Alondra, 18, received a used 2005 Honda Civic from her parents for her senior year of high school, it was her ticket to freedom. She planned to commute in fall from San Marcos to her dream school: University of California, San Diego. But...
Permanent Supportive Housing Program Expands to Meet Growing Needs
The program has grown tremendously since its inception in 2020 – with a strong presence in San Diego, Riverside and Los Angeles counties
Resident Becomes Hope Employee
Sandra spends her days helping residents locate resources, connecting those in need with emergency assistance and coordinating ways to meet their unique needs.
Senior Fit Coach Inspires Healthy Bodies and Youthful Minds
Coach Evan Russo’s greatest joy is “giving senior citizens their lives back” by teaching them to stretch, lift and train to boost their health
After-school Expansion Brings Opportunities to Texas Communities
Texas children are boosting their academics with homework assistance, building new friendships and developing healthier lifestyles – all thanks to $195,000 in donations
Emergency Aid Helps Vista de La Sierra Resident Keep Her Home
When fraudulent charges nearly drained Nancy’s bank account, what little money she had left had to go for food and living expenses.
Church Member Sponsors Back-to-School Shopping Spree
Laughter and chatter bubbled through the air at Champs Sports on July 13 as 44 children from National CORE’s Rancho Verde affordable housing community excitedly picked out shoes, shirts and backpacks loaded with school supplies. Nine-year-old Marlaysia discovered a...
Jordan June Luzzi, 2024 Scholarship Recipient
Jordan Luzzi holds himself to a high standard – especially as a way to acknowledge how much his family and teachers have given to ensure he succeeds.
Mariana Gonzalez, 2024 Scholarship Recipient
When Mariana Gonzalez was 9, her family moved from Colombia to the United States, seeking better opportunities.
Aime Bakundukize, 2024 Scholarship Recipient
When Aime Bakundukize was 8, his family fled war-torn Mozambique for asylum in the U.S.
Trinity Shaker, 2024 Scholarship Recipient
Corona Del Ray resident Trinity Shaker, 19, said she’s destined to become a pediatrician.
Tasha Sadler, 2024 Scholarship Recipient
Tasha Sadler always dreamed of becoming a pediatric nurse, but she was always too busy and the goal seemed unachievable.
Family of Four Finds a Community at Veterans Park
Charles, a Navy veteran who lives at Veterans Park in Pomona, is pursuing higher education with the help of a Building Bright Futures scholarship he received in June 2023.
Journeys of Hope: Olufemi and Sebastian’s Transformative Paths with National CORE and Hope through Housing
Meet Olufemi and Sebastian, two remarkable young adults whose lives have been profoundly impacted by the compassionate mission of National CORE and Hope through Housing
Women of Hope Member Gives Back to Community
Zeinab Fakih was unsure of what to expect when she first volunteered for a Women of Hope Read to Kids event, but it did not involve buying a television.
Good afternoon, Mr. Greg!
Four days a week, Gregory Quezada carries platters of food to the lively Sunset Heights community center in Rancho Cucamonga.
Story of Hope: Moving here ‘just made my life perfect’
Valerie Aguilar is an honor student, a member of her high school scholarship club, Bible club and marine biology club, and will attend the University of California-Santa Barbara next fall in her quest to become an environmental engineer.
Do Fitness! With Uzi
A group of residents has gathered, waiting in anticipation for their weekly fitness class. Uzi Tayou, a professional soccer player for the Empire Strykers, is setting up for the day’s activities.
Hope through Housing’s Senior-Centered Exercise Classes Promote Wellness and Social Connection
It’s Thursday morning. Music is blaring from a portable speaker in the Day Creek Seniors Villas community room. A booming voice can be heard, calling out exercise moves to a room full of older adults, ranging in age from 62 to 91 years old. The class, led by Coach...
How Hope through Housing is Transforming Young Lives through Youth Mentorship
Hope through Housing, in partnership with the City of Ontario, is piloting a new youth mentorship program at the new affordable housing community of Vista Verde, with remarkable success.
On the Road Again: Through Building Bright Futures Scholarship, Father Restarts His Trucking Career
Erik, a father living at Sunset Heights in Alta Loma, California, used his scholarship to pay part of the schooling to renew his Class A trucking license.
Hope through Housing Partners with ProduceGood to Tackle Food Waste and Food Insecurity
Hope through Housing has partnered with ProduceGood, a San Diego nonprofit that tackles food waste and food insecurity by gathering fruit and vegetables that would otherwise be wasted.
Pathways to a Forever Home
When Cynthia, a single mother of one with twins on the way, moved into the affordable housing community of Villaggio on Route 66, she knew that her new two-bedroom apartment would not be her family’s forever home.
A Story of Hope: 2019 CORE’s Got Talent Finalist Tonji
Tonji was one of three finalists to perform at the 2019 An Evening of Hope: Endless Possibilities and a fan favorite.
Unlocking Opportunities: Sebastian Turns Sacrifices into Success
As he prepares for his third year at Notre Dame University, Sebastian is reflecting on all the sacrifices his mom has made that have led to this pivotal point in his life.
Story of Hope: Finding Community in the Age of Online School
Although Maria is halfway through high school, like millions of other students across the country, she has spent very little time actually at her school, Corona High.
Building Bright Futures Scholarship: The Start of a New Chapter
For most of his life, Brian lived a nomadic lifestyle, as his family moved from place to place, in search of affordable housing. The lack of stability made it difficult for Brian to develop friendships. He rarely stayed at a school long enough to make friends.
Military Appreciation Month: Sam
I recently had the honor of meeting Sam, 88, a Korean War Veteran at the Gardens at Sierra in Fontana where he has been a resident for more than eight years.
Building Bright Futures: The Possibilities are Endless!
Joey, a sixth-grader from Villaggio on Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has big dreams for his future. Through Hope through Housing’s Building Bright Futures initiative, Joey attends the after-school program where he lives and receives encouragement, mentoring...
Finding Housing after 15 Years on the Streets
Richard Porras looks back on the most difficult point of his life and sees it as a blessing. “I found out that more people out there care than don’t care. Homelessness took the negativity away from me,” he says in a voice slowed by years of drug abuse and living on...
Marv’s Place: A Safe Haven for a Dad and His Daughter
As 42-year-old Daniel Chavez sat down to tell his story, his daughter, Davida, crawled into his lap. The adorable brown-eyed, brown-haired 4-year-old wore a black Marvel shirt with superhero characters and a single ponytail. She smiled, posed and curiously scanned the...
A Mother’s Wish for Her Daughter
Silvia Monvalvo and her family have lived in the affordable housing development of San Antonio Vista in Montclair for more than 10 years. It is a tight knit community where families are watching their children excel in school and go on to higher education. For Silvia,...
Seniors pay it forward for ailing kids
Kay Serbenick has been crocheting for decades. But it wasn’t until recently that she found a way to combine her crafting with a charitable cause. In the process, she has inspired a community to join in.
How one program brought a boy from almost homeless to homeowner
Steven Crosby was 12 years old when he and his mother moved into the Monterey Village apartment community in Rancho Cucamonga. It was 1996, and they were transitioning out of a very difficult time. Steven recently had been reunited with his mother who was working...
A Life Transformed: Moving here ‘just made my life perfect’
Valerie Aguilar is an honor student, a member of her high school scholarship club, Bible club and marine biology club, and will attend the University of California-Santa Barbara next fall in her quest to become an environmental engineer.
A Life Transformed: How Live-Work Spaces are Helping Building Karina Orozco’s American Dream
EAST LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Karina Orozco stops in mid-sentence, emotions taking her to a place she’d been trying to avoid. “It’s hard, but I would do anything for my children,” she says through her tears. “As parents, we don’t take days off. We don’t get sick. We do...