In the year of a global pandemic, calls for racial justice, a new scenario for education, and the magnitude of our latest election, I ask myself what gives me hope? Well, the answer to this deeply involved question is in my little story.
In July 2020, I dropped by for my weekly visit to see my 101 year-old Uncle Joe. He explained that my cousin Pat was about to lose her house for unpaid taxes. The circumstances were difficult. Uncle Joe asked me to step in, and help her stay in her home. Pat was in the Hospital.
Where do I begin to help her, I thought. When I was in elementary school, she was having her two children. We don’t really know each other that well. My life is very different from hers, but my favorite Uncle asked me to help her, and I made that promise. That’s where my amazing connection with DayBreak begins.
I called the Oakland Mayor's Office and they gave me organizations that might help in this quest to save Pat’s home. The back taxes needed to be paid. Somehow, through this search to help Pat, Daybreak stepped in with Lupe Harthoorn at the helm.
Lupe managed Pat’s care, and I was simply a conduit to make information flow to Pat and back to Lupe to handle her household needs. The connection was made.
Lupe came up with ways to help Pat, by setting up Meals-on-Wheels, weekly care packages, fall prevention assessment, helping her to pay off her PG&E bill, helping with Home Projects through Healthy Homes, to make her disabilities easier to live with and for Pat to be safe.
While Lupe helped Pat, she also helped me with the HERA (Housing and Economic Rights Advocates) Application Grant to help Pat keep her home. What a process! Lupe’s skills were handy and necessary in my need for a support system while HERA was figuring out how, and when they could help Pat. Lupe, is a consummate professional, counselor, organizer, problem-solver, and advocate.
A Lawyer from HERA was finally assigned to the tax case to help Pat save her house. He recognized the urgency of the case. The timeline was fast becoming a race. Two Grants were written to cover the back taxes owed. If he didn’t act fast to make sure the Grant applications were perfect, we would’ve been in trouble.
The constant support that Lupe, from DayBreak provided was, and is invaluable. Jamal from DayBreak worked hand-in-hand with Pat too. He began to drop off weekly care packages of food, and check on Pat, talk to her, ask about her needs, and won her trust!
My DayBreak story is one of hope. It’s really all about the connection between agencies like DayBreak, it’s amazing Social Workers like Guadalupe Harthoorn, and its clients. I have learned in this process of helping my cousin, that clients can need many forms of support, and DayBreak gives both broad and specific care to all in need. My hope is that DayBreak will continue to fulfill its mission.
I continue to be grateful for Lupe and Jamal! I am grateful to the attorney from HERA. He worked tirelessly to get the Grants funded. My hope was fulfilled. We saved Pat’s house! My journey is one of deeper respect and admiration for those who take seriously the important work of helping others.
I am grateful to DayBreak for being an Agency who truly fulfills its mission. A mission of outreach, advocacy, community partnerships, and quality program development and support. Daybreak does indeed hire, support and welcome into-its-fold Social Workers who are dedicated to supporting families, caregivers, and communities.
I want to again thank the DayBreak team, Lupe and Jamal, and anyone else who has participated, helped, and continues to work to make Pat and others like her — live a life of dignity and hope. This is what gives me hope for a more caring future.
