Homelessness and poverty are issues worldwide, however, in California, Caterina’s Club believes in ending homelessness from the inside, out. Homelessness affects many communities in the Orange County area. A recent Point in Time Count study found that 6,860 people are without a home in Orange County, and around 466 families are among these individuals.
Caterina’s Club has taken it upon themselves to eliminate homelessness and provide families with safe, affordable housing. One of the programs we offer at Caterina’s Club is called Welcome Home. Welcome Home has been created with the help of our sponsors and amazing team members to give affordable housing to families living below the poverty line.
Fighting Homelessness By Helping One Family At a Time
Long, displaced, family vacation destinations, and motels can create an increased amount of drug addicts, registered sex offenders, and criminals. With this said, many families are forced to live in motels because of their lack of financial stability. Due to the lack of affordable housing and high rents throughout the region causes families financial turmoil. Many families living in the motel have full-time jobs and provide for at least 2-3 children. Being able to afford and save the first and last months rent, as well as a security deposit on a family-friendly apartment is often a prohibitive upfront expense to families trying to get out of the motels. We want to put an end to unsafe housing by creating Welcome Home. The Welcome Home program remedies motel living by raising funds to provide families with the push they need to get out of the motel and into an apartment or condo. With the help of Welcome Home, families can finally feel safe in their home.
Related: Learn more about Caterina’s Club fight against homelessness in Orange County by reading Homelessness and Poverty in Orange County by Volunteer Network OC.
There is Strength in Numbers
At Caterina’s Club, we understand there is strength in numbers and this is why Caterina’s Club partners with Mercy House and Illumination Foundation. Mercy House and Illumination Foundation both share our same vision to give families the stability and safety they need to raise a family. We and our partners work together to identify these families, provide necessary case managing, financial advising, and eventually the first/last month’s rent and deposit due at move in. In addition to covering the move in cost, Caterina’s Club collects donated furniture, appliances, and other home goods to jump-start these families new lives. We will continue our fight against homelessness, and will never stop providing families with the push they need. To date, Caterina’s Club has successfully relocated 202 families. We are proud to be making a difference in the lives of these children, their families, and hope to expand even further.
Want to join the fight against homelessness? Make a difference today and learn more about Welcome Home at Caterina’s Club here.