LONG BEACH, Calif. — It’s still dark out when, one by one, Vanessa Calderon wakes her five daughters up for school.
With all girls under the age of 13 and one restroom, things can get a little chaotic. But that morning rush is welcomed, says Calderon — as just a year ago, their situation looked very different.
What You Need To Know
- The Holliday’s Helping Hands interim housing site in Long Beach is specifically designed to house justice-impacted women and families
- The site offers 55 beds that have always been occupied since opening in 2024
- Families living there are offered three meals a day, financial literacy classes, career training and other resources to focus on finding and maintaining employment and securing permanent housing
- A transportation program taking the children living there to and from school is also meant to encourage students to thrive in their education
“We were going through a lot at the time. Prior to staying with that lady for that month, we were living in our car for five months,” says Calderon…