Dear Friends and Family of Catholic Charities:
We all now know what it’s like to live in fear, and how that fear leaves lasting trauma. Yet, many of us cannot begin to imagine the level of fear and trauma that a homeless woman battles alone. At Rachel’s Women’s Center in downtown San Diego, hundreds of women walk through the doors each day seeking shelter, safety, and support to start over. Did you know:

More jarring than the statistics are the stories. Michelle is a cancer survivor who is unable to work. She fears losing her disability benefit and, in turn, the housing that Catholic Charities helped her secure last year. The trauma from her time on the street haunts her at night, while health issues limit her mobility in the day. Michelle’s story is one of many that I hope you will read and watch on our website (Read Here, Watch Here). Catholic Charities has programs and services in place to keep women off the streets for the short term while working to house them for the long term. The challenge is that these facilities are operating at absolute capacity. Directly above Rachel’s Women’s Center, we have eight affordable studio apartments for women who are completing recovery programs and/or are newly employed. Every apartment is full.

