From sleeping on hallways to becoming fully employed and housed, this is the story of the resilience displayed by members of the community that are up against all odds. Mauricio Pinedas came into La Colaborativa looking for transportation assistance to get him to a job opportunity that was outside of Chelsea. After paying for his transportation, our housing team noticed he left behind a small bag of personal belongings. Mauricio was homeless and sleeping in random hallways and basements around Chelsea. His sobriety was being challenged by his homelessness status but he never gave into the challenges faced. He was desperate to find employment but was stuck in a loop of instability, unemployment, and homelessness. Immediately, our housing team met with him and established a plan to get him employed and into a safe housing environment.
After months of sleeping on hallways, Mauricio got his own room and just entered his second week of employment. To continue working toward a brighter future, Mauricio enrolled in English and Citizenship classes at La Colaborativa. He continues working on his sobriety by attending a local church and being engaged there in his free time. We celebrate hardworking families and individuals like Mauricio. It is through his resilience, dedication and hard work that Mauricio was able to climb out of a hard life situation and rise to be better for himself and for his family.
Unfortunately there are many stories like Mauricio’s. A Community Impact Survey found that 83 percent of families in Chelsea were impacted by job/income loss that affected their ability to afford necessities such as rent and food. Homelessness and overcrowded housing are public health concerns that many families are currently facing, on top of being unemployed and experiencing food insecurity during a global pandemic.
We believe in our community’s ability to change their lives and believe in helping them- no strings attached and no hoops to jump through. La Colaborativa finds local and holistic wraparound solutions for anyone facing hardship and looking for help. To achieve this, we are calling and advocating for:
- Affordable Housing
- Rent Control
