Community Working Group Inc

A home for her son

Michelle wanted to raise her son in a stable, safe home where he could go to school, make friends, and be healthy. So as soon as she could, Michelle left the emergency shelter where they were staying and, with the help of a rental subsidy from CWG, moved into the Opportunity Center.

CWG’s flagship project, the Opportunity Center includes 88 affordable homes and a wide range of support services. With a stable home and access to services, Michelle was able to get a job so she could pay her and her son’s expenses and work toward a college education.

 

Homelessness hurts all of us 

Due to the enormously high cost of housing in Silicon Valley, thousands of people like Michelle are struggling to secure homes for their families. In fact, our region has the fifth-highest number of homeless persons per capita in the nation.

Our community suffers every time another woman, man or child is forced to sleep in their car or on the street. And taxpayers lose too — paying as much as $83,000* per year in emergency and social services for each chronically homeless person.

 

Community Working Group’s approach works!

That’s why CWG’s work to create more affordable homes and supportive services is critical. Approximately 300 women, men and children currently live in CWG’s three affordable home complexes in Palo Alto: the Opportunity Center, 801 Alma Family Housing, and Alma Garden. And with CWG’s help, hundreds of individuals and families every month get critical services ranging from snacks and showers, to physical and mental health care, to employment assistance — services that can lead them to increased self-sufficiency and enhanced quality of life.

 

Please make a financial gift to CWG today!

Your gift to Community Working Group will be used for rental subsidies, making sure people have the critical services they need to get and stay housed, and keeping our homes affordable, safe, and well-maintained. Since we partner with other nonprofit agencies to leverage resources and expertise, you can be sure your investment goes a long way to confronting homelessness in our neighborhood through supportive services and housing.

 

*Source: "Home Not Found: The Cost of Homelessness in Silicon Valley," 2015