Three Angels are Helping my Dreams Come True!

“December 2023 is when my faith was restored. Three angels appeared - Charlie and Wei from The United Effort Organization, and Todd, from Agape Silicon Valley. 

I was with my friend that day because I could not find a spot to stay warm and dry. I thought it was hopeless: I had no place to shower, and nothing to eat. Since then, with all the donations and help, I have gotten out of Guadalupe Park's Ruff Drive area. If it were not for these three angels, I would have never gotten warm, or received the dry clothes and shoes they gave me and my friend, as well as some tent tarps, a solar charger, sleeping bags and socks to stay warm and dry.”

“For the purpose of this story, call me Mike. The next gift that helped me begin to put homelessness behind me was the YMCA application that The United Effort helped me with”. Since Mike has Medi-Cal through Santa Clara Family Health Plan (SCFHP), which provides free access to YMCA of Silicon Valley health and wellness centers, he was able to have a reliable place to shower, exercise and be part of a community.

The United Effort helps clients find transportation options as well. VTA offers UPLIFT, while CalTrain offers PassForward (GoPass). The United Effort helped Mike apply for a free GoPass. “I was finally able to get back and forth to visit my kids and grandson who live out of town.” We saw what a big lift that gave to Mike’s emotions!!

Though Mike signed his housing paperwork with HomeFirst™ and is waiting for his housing specialist to find a place, Wei, a United Effort volunteer, is helping him search for an apartment under another program through the SCC Office of Supportive Housing, the Rapid ReHousing (RRH) program, just in case he is eligible. 

Other resources Mike used on his path back to self-sufficiency included the computers in the San Jose Martin Luther King Library (3rd floor), and The Window in downtown San Jose to get mail and food. 

Shari, a volunteer with the United Effort said “We are so thrilled to see Mike make so much progress - he has shown so much resilience, and is a pleasure to work with.” Recently he became excited by another positive turn in his life: “I was given the opportunity to be involved in volunteering at The United Effort Organization in Mountain View, and also at ESO Ventures which partners with the City of San Jose to invest in county entrepreneurs to mentor people like me who have business ideas, so that we can make our dreams reality. ESO Ventures and Santa Clara County empower people to keep our money in our neighborhoods and in our pockets, and enable us to put food on our table.” 

“Thank you again, United Effort, for helping make my dreams come true!”