Our Impact

Changed lives. Resilient communities. The social impact of LifeSTEPS services is immense.

Success Stories

Victory in the Face of Adversity

Kelly is a young single mother of two boys who has lived in her Northern California apartment for seven years. She is in treatment for breast cancer and is scheduled to receive her last chemotherapy treatment this month. She receives a small amount of disability and has started the proceedings to receive child support from the father of her children. While the father has not provided consistent monetary support to his family he has helped Kelly with childcare and provided groceries from time to time. So although she has some support and an income, it is not nearly enough to keep her ahead of her bills. To make matters worse, she experienced car problems which cost in excess of $300 to repair.

Kelly shared the details of her situation with her LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services, Crystal, and received the support and direction needed to get her immediate situation rectified as well as be better prepared for the future. With Crystal’s help, Kelly applied for assistance funds to pay for car repairs making it possible for her to get to medical appointments and meet the transportation needs of her family. LifeSTEPS was able to approve this request and pay for car repairs with funds from our partner Change a Life which are designated for just this sort of situation. Kelly has also applied for HEAP in an effort to have her utility bills reduced. Kelly has been receptive to Crystal’s coaching in regard to budgeting and prudent spending. In spite of her health challenges, Kelly has successfully attended American River College where she is just one class away from receiving her Associates Degree. LifeSTEPS is proud to report on Kelly’s success and will continue to provide social and supportive services to her.

Single Mom at Risk of Losing Housing receives Rental Assistance

Denise has lived in her Los Angeles apartment with her six year old son for over three years and has a history of paying her rent on time. In July she was temporarily laid off from work, creating a financial crisis since she generally lives paycheck to paycheck. To make matters worse, she had already experienced a reduction in income when her Social Security benefits were reduced by nearly half. When Denise met with her LifeSTEPS Director of Social Service she was at risk of losing her apartment home and needed immediate assistance.

Initially, LifeSTEPS referred Denise to Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army and 211 Los Angeles; each agency reported that their funds were depleted. Denise was distraught but knew that if she could get help with the current month, next month would be better since she would be returning to work. After helping Denise evaluate her income and expenses and creating a realistic budget, a request for LifeSTEPS client assistance was submitted and approved. Meanwhile, Denise eliminated unnecessary expenses like her cable television. Denise was relieved to receive this one time assistance and states that without the rapid help and support provided by LifeSTEPS, she would have been facing eviction and the possible loss of her home. Denise appreciates the help that LifeSTEPS has given her.

Family at Risk of Losing Housing receives Rental Assistance

Val and Mike have lived in her central California apartment for over a year with their two school aged children. Val’s father also lived with the family until his unexpected passing last September. Not only was the loss emotionally difficult, it also caused financial upheaval for the family as they relied on his income to supplement the rent.

In addition to the loss of income, they incurred expenses for the funeral; a portion of which was paid by Catholic Charities however the balance was covered by Val and Mike – leaving them short on their rent. Living in an affordable housing community which provides social and supportive services comes with benefits, particularly if LifeSTEPS is the provider. It was about this time that Val contacted her LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services and was relieved to learn about the LifeSTEPS Client Assistance Program.

Together Val and her DSS took a realistic look at their finances, created a practical budget for the family to follow and applied for rental assistance from LifeSTEPS. The application was approved and the family received assistance to cover the gap which prevented the loss of their apartment home due to unpaid rents. Mike continues to provide for his family and Val is exploring opportunities that will allow her to earn additional income, such as house cleaning. Meanwhile the family is spending and saving wisely. They are optimistic about the future which includes paying their car off before long which will free up a portion of their income for other basic living expenses.

LifeSTEPS will continue to provide social and supportive services to the family, assisting them in maintaining safe and secure housing and eliminating the need for their boys to change schools due to sudden relocation or eviction.

The Gift of Hearing

Suzanne is an active senior at her apartment community in the San Diego area. Although she is 80 years old, she is still quite active and in generally good health. She does however suffer from loss of hearing. During the past few years her hearing has deteriorated even further and now she is often reluctant to join in conversations because her hearing loss impedes her ability to interject appropriately.

When the LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services (DSS) learned of Suzanne’s predicament she took steps to apply for an individual grant from LifeSTEPS’ partner Change a Life Foundation (CALF) on her behalf. The mission of the CALF is to significantly help individuals and families who, through no fault of their own, have experienced an injury, illness, or catastrophic life event, and who are suffering financial hardship, by providing support for critically needed direct services that promote their self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life.

Suzanne’s situation fit the CALF criteria and LifeSTEPS was funded for hearing aids on her behalf. LifeSTEPS was delighted to share the news with her and we look forward to Suzanne receiving her new hearing devices this month. With the restoration of Suzanne’s hearing, her risk of depression due to isolation, a serious health threat for seniors, will be greatly reduced. We are honored to partner with Change a Life Foundation to bring relief to seniors like Suzanne.

Wrap Around Services Support the Entire Family

Betty and Doug have lived in their Inland Empire community with their two children for many years. They speak and understand very little English and earn a modest income as farm workers. It was two years ago that Betty first approached LifeSTEPS for assistance understanding medical documents concerning Patricia, their daughter.

Patricia was born with skull problems and it is necessary that she has regular check-ups. The bi-lingual LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services explained that the doctor requested brain scans for Patricia so her condition could be thoroughly evaluated. LifeSTEPS provided emotional support as well as access to food commodities, clothing resources, and budgeting services to help the family get through this difficult time. After two years of on-going testing, and many sleepless nights, Betty is relieved to know that their daughter is now developing normally.

Betty has since expressed numerous times to neighbors and friends how blessed she is to have the services provided by LifeSTEPS. When she first moved to Coachella, Betty explained that she did not know anyone and she felt lost. Now, she enjoys volunteering and has taken on a leadership role in her community. Betty and Doug are currently participating in ESL and computer classes, both facilitated by LifeSTEPS. Their son is a regular participant at the LifeSTEPS after school program. This family’s story demonstrates how LifeSTEPS’ wrap around services can meet needs on many levels.

Learning to Live Within a Budget Leads to Freedom From Anxiety

Tanya is active on her Senior Apartments Activities Committee. She hosts movie night, assists with the weekly BUNCO group and is always willing to go the extra mile to help her neighbors.

When Tanya encountered financial hardship she turned to her LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services for guidance. Together they reviewed her income and expenses and set up a budget. In order to make ends meet, Tanya cancelled her cable and internet services and spent less on groceries by accessing food commodities with the help of LifeSTEPS. Tanya says she doesn’t know how she would have managed without the help of her DSS. She realizes that she might have lost her apartment.

During this time LifeSTEPS started the “Controlling Your Finances” program where Tanya learned principles that she applied to her situation. With the personal support from her DSS and the skills she learned at the finance class Tanya is successfully living within her budget and has even been able to get her cable and internet services reinstated.

College Bound

Kelly is a high school senior living in her Central California apartment community with her dad and two siblings. Heidi, the Director of Social Services, first met Kelly about a year ago when she moved here from a large coastal town. Kelly and her siblings were completely new to the area and didn’t know anyone, but they immediately began coming to the After School Program. Kelly is very friendly and quickly began to make friends, as well as helping the younger children with homework and craft projects. Soon, Kelly and her siblings began participating in many LifeSTEPS activities, such as Family Game Nights, Neighborhood Watch meetings, and Teen Nights.

Throughout Kelly’s senior year, Heidi counseled and encouraged her through some of the struggles in preparing for college, such as the lengthy college application process, and questions about what courses to take or where to live. Kelly was excited to be accepted to College of the Sequoias for the fall term! Recently, she approached Heidi asking for help in locating employment as she is hoping to work while attending college. Heidi provided a one on one employment workshop using LifeSTEPS “New Job 101” curriculum. Kelly has stated, “I love coming to LifeSTEPS activities; we always have so much fun. Plus, Heidi has helped me with a resume and I’m excited about finding my first job and going to college!”

Emergency Assistance Dollars Prevent Eviction

Helen is a valued volunteer within her apartment community. She donates her time helping at social functions and at the after school program which her son, Cameron, regularly attends.

Earlier this year, Helen and her boyfriend, Roger, were laid off from the same employer and have been receiving unemployment. The LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services (DSS) has been coaching them in regard to resume writing and job searches in an area where it is difficult to gain employment. Helen is learning new skills while volunteering and using this experience to fill in the time gap on her resume. She was recently awarded full custody of her son after a difficult custody battle with her estranged husband. Cameron’s father does not pay child support in spite of the court order to do so. Meanwhile, when Helen started receiving unemployment benefits her family income exceeded the threshold for CashAid and thus these payments were revoked.

Prior to this, Helen and Roger were financially stable, but given the recent changes in their income they were unable to pay their September rent. An eviction would create a terrible hardship for this family. As such, her DSS applied for rental assistance on their behalf and they were able to successfully pay their September expenses with the help of LifeSTEPS. Roger is in his second year at the University of Phoenix where he is studying to earn his BA in Criminal Justice. Effective mid September he will receive financial aid which will replace some of their lost income and help them meet expenses while they continue to seek employment. LifeSTEPS meets regularly with this family to provide case management and equip with them with skills for long term success.

Individual Grant helps Senior Pay for Car Repairs

Marie, a 75 year old disabled resident in the San Diego area, contacted her LifeSTEPS Director of Social Services when she discovered her brake lights had stopped working.

LifeSTEPS DSS, Adoria, helped Marie complete a comprehensive budget to determine how she would pay for car repairs. After doing the math it was obvious that Marie could not afford to make the repairs or pay for a taxi, nor was she physically capable of walking to a bus stop. She had no way to get to her numerous doctor appointments, not to mention grocery shopping and various other daily chores. Adoria contacted a local auto repair shop to negotiate a free estimate for Marie. She then took the necessary steps to request a grant from Change a Life Foundation (CALF) on Marie’s behalf. CALF is a partner agency that provides assistance to individuals, who through no fault of their own, find themselves in need of financial assistance.

The proposal was submitted and approved. Marie’s car has been successfully repaired and she has been able to resume her independent lifestyle. Marie is very grateful to LifeSTEPS. In addition to this grant and overall emotional support, LifeSTEPS has helped Marie create a budget, organize her medication, access In Home Support Services, access physical therapy to help her cope with neuropathy, and secure diabetic shoes. Marie states that “without LifeSTEPS I would be lost!”

Growing Leadership Skills at the LifeSTEPS After School Program

Selena is 12 years old and has been attending the after school program at her San Diego area apartment complex since she was 10. Early on Selena was very shy and seldom engaged with the other children, however, during the last year Selena has really blossomed. She rarely misses a session and now sees herself as a role model for the younger children. Selena assists Leni, the Program Coordinator, by helping the younger children with homework and craft activities. Leni has commented about Selena’s integrity, saying that her “biggest attribute is that she is so trustworthy.” Leni counts on Selena to help distribute school supplies to the other students making sure that everyone receives an equal amount.

Selena has come out of shell even more in the last two months. Selena has volunteered to help with different activities that have taken place on the property. The interaction with other residents has helped her to build confidence and not be shy. Selena is a wonderful helper! Selena will come into the office before scheduled activities volunteering to help with setting up for an event and she will stay once everyone leaves to help with the clean up.

Selena says “I enjoy being involved and want to help the younger kids especially the kids that participate in the after school program. I feel like they are my little brothers and sisters.” During activities you will often see Selena helping the younger children. For example when BINGO is offered many times Selena will not play but instead sit between some of the younger children so she can help them with their BINGO cards. Selena has been a wonderful role model for the residents and their children.

Academic Progress with One-on-One Support

Rachel started attending the LifeSTEPS after school program in her apartment community in September of 2010. At first her behavior was disruptive. She often yelled at the other children, and had trouble following the rules. While considering solutions with Rachel and her parents, Program Coordinator, Jennifer, and the Director of Social Services, Veronica, found out that Rachel has ADHD. They also learned she was failing school and her mother was fearful that she would not catch up. Jennifer and Rachel’s mother reached out to Rachel’s teacher for help and to create a plan that would allow Rachel to make up her missing assignments while receiving tutoring.

Today, Rachel is working hard with LifeSTEPS staff during one-on-one sessions at the after school program, as well as with her mother at home. Rachel’s grades have improved from F’s to a C average. It has not been easy for her, but with continued support and direction she is moving forward. LifeSTEPS and her parents are very proud of Rachel’s progress. Her interactions with her peers at the after school program are also more positive. Although she still struggles to follow the structure of the group, she is more sensitive to others and makes an effort to participate. Rachel’s accomplishments are an example of how young lives are changed when families have on-site social and supportive services, such as LifeSTEPS after school programs.

Client Assistance Program Helps Resident with Crisis in Africa

Imani is a refugee from Africa. She resides in Sacramento and recently lost her husband. She now lives on a single income. To make matters even more difficult, when Imani learned that her adult son was seriously ill she flew to Africa where she helped pay for his hospital stay and medication.

Fortunately she belongs to a supportive church. Imani’s church family was able to pay for all but $200 of her flight. Still, the travel and care for her son strained her budget to the point that she was ready to leave her apartment and go to a shelter. She had nearly lost hope when she met with her Director of Social Services and learned of LifeSTEPS Client Assistance Program. Imani created a budget which included slashing any unnecessary expenses in the LifeSTEPS financial management course.

Additionally, LifeSTEPS referred her to community resources that could help with her rent and provide food. With the help of local resources, LifeSTEPS and a family member Imani has successfully followed her new spending plan, maintained her full time job and kept her home at Creekside Village. Imani felt compelled to help her son in spite of the risks to her financial stability and has expressed her gratitude to LifeSTEPS for helping her sort out her finances. She says, “By the grace of God you came and helped me. Thank you, LifeSTEPS.”