Luna Mendez lost her husband and was now alone raising her 3 young boys all under the age of 9, one of whom is autistic. With no family to help she found herself at the YMCA. Through a joint program with the YMCA, the Elizabeth Coalition was able to house Luna for two (2) months. During that time the Coalition’s case manager referred her to an organization that would provide educational support for her autistic son as well as getting her signed up to receive a monthly grocery bag.
Luna, now a widow, was desperate to locate a job as her only source of income was survivor benefits she received for her children. Her case manager referred her to organizations that would help with job placement, and she was able to obtain employment. Luna was also searching for permanent housing and found a 2 bedroom apartment, however, the landlord was hesitant to rent to her and her boys. Our case manager advocated for Luna’s family, and the landlord agreed to rent the apartment to them. They were able to move into the apartment the following month and now Luna and her family are thriving in their new home.