With a steady job as a unit secretary in a hospital emergency room, and a roommate to help pay the rent, Gwen Smith did not think she would have to worry about meeting her monthly rent payments. However, when her roommate moved out, the 3 bedroom unit she lived in with her 15-year old daughter became too much for her to handle, and she fell behind in her rent. Gwen soon faced eviction, and had to seek help. She was referred to the ?Homelessness Prevention Program or Housing Counseling Program (HCP)? at Intercultural, and was assigned a housing case manager who determined her eligibility for rental assistance. Gwen’s application was processed quickly, and she received the support she needed to stay in her home.

For now, Gwen is managing, and working hard to make ends meet. One day, she would like to own her own home, and has enrolled in one of Intercultural’s First Time Homebuyer Workshops to learn how she can improve her financial situation for a future home purchase. Commenting on the assistance she received, Gwen remains grateful and stated “it was a blessing, and kept me from being evicted”. To others she offers this advice “Don’t get discouraged, there are things you can do for yourself, and organizations (like Intercultural) to help you”.