Jeremiah
Jeremiah is living with his fiancée and their 6-month-old baby at the start of the program. He lost his security job during the pandemic and was working a low-wage job with unstable hours. Even with their joint income, they were not making ends meet. Moreover, he has sickle cell anemia which causes him to miss work at times. Yet his financial situation pushes him to work as much as he can, so he isn’t able to seek needed medical care.
When he started receiving the $1,000 a month, the combined cash, his rental assistance, and the joint household income, is enough to keep them afloat for a time. Then, the lack of childcare causes him to lose his job. After the birth of their second child, they eventually lose their apartment, and end up in a hotel room.
Though the $1,000 a month helped, ultimately it was not enough to overcome all the barriers in Jeremiah’s life. At the end of the program, he and his family are facing homelessness and often unable to afford food.