"Gonzalez was 33 and living with her mother while raising two children, ages 3 and 1, alongside her husband in Pittsburg. Tension in the household was rising. Gonzalez knew that they needed to find a place of their own, but her and her husband's credit problems made finding an apartment nearly impossible. Other family members couldn't take them in. Out of options, Gonzalez dialed 411, the county's resource hotline."
"A few days later, they got word that they'd been accepted into the Winter Nights Family Shelter. The family packed up their belongings into their car, and drove to the church that would serve as their temporary home. Inside a large conference room, they were given a tent to pitch among half a dozen other families. At first, Gonzalez's children stayed close to her, nervous and quiet. But within days, both children warmed up to the volunteers, who read them library books."
"Founded in 2004, Winter Nights relies on a network of faith communities throughout Contra Costa County, each hosting families for two- or three-week stretches. The nonprofit has 13 paid staff and hundreds of volunteers, many of whom have experienced homelessness themselves, who help connect clients to resources, get them financial education, and provide tutoring to children."
Judith Gonzalez, 33, lived with her mother in Pittsburg while raising two children, ages 3 and 1, and faced rising household tension. Credit problems prevented Gonzalez and her husband from finding an apartment, and no relatives could take them in. Out of options, Gonzalez called the county resource hotline and was accepted into Winter Nights Family Shelter. The family stayed in a church conference room, pitching a tent among several families. Volunteers read to the children, helped with homework, and provided play opportunities that eased the children's anxiety. Winter Nights coordinates faith communities and hundreds of volunteers to host families temporarily and connect them to resources, financial education, and tutoring.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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