"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."
"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 or helped with homework. Her eldest daughter began running around the church with the other kids."
"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 while raising two children and faced escalating household tension and credit barriers that made renting impossible. After calling a county resource hotline, her family was accepted into Winter Nights Family Shelter and moved into a church where they pitched a tent among other families. Volunteers provided child-focused activities and tutoring, helping the children become comfortable and engaged. Founded in 2004, Winter Nights partners with faith communities, has 13 staff and hundreds of volunteers, and connects clients to resources, financial education and housing referrals. Last year it served 22 families and aided 146 people in safe parking.
Read at The Mercury News
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