In February 2026, Grace, her husband, and their 7-month-old baby were on the brink of eviction after falling behind on rent.
Grace had been working at a restaurant, but when her employer refused to allow breaks so she could pump breast milk, she was forced to leave the job. She quickly found new work at a supermarket, but the temporary loss of income created a gap the family couldn’t recover from on their own. At the same time, Grace’s husband—a painter—was experiencing the uasual winter slowdown in work. He began driving for DoorDash to help make ends meet, but it still wasn’t enough. What began as a short-term setback quickly turned into a housing crisis.
That’s when Grace reached out to Catholic Charities East Bay. 
She was met with care and understanding by Delia, our dedicated housing case manager, who worked quickly to help stabilize the family. Through emergency rental assistance, Delia secured two months of back rent and one month of future rent—$5,505 total—allowing Grace’s family to stay safely in their home and focus on moving forward.
Stories like Grace’s are becoming far too common. For many hard-working families, it only takes one unexpected crisis to throw an already tight budget off balance.
Because of you, Catholic Charities East Bay is here when families need us most. With your support, Delia and our housing team continue to walk alongside neighbors across Alameda and Contra Costa counties—helping families like Grace’s remain housed, safe, and hopeful for what comes next.
