Deborah is a participant with Uplift People of Elk Grove. In this video she shares the journey of her family through homelessness, what brought them to Uplift and their experience in the program.

Crystal is a participant of Uplift People of Elk Grove. She shares about the obstacles that have stood in her way from reaching her goals and her journey with Uplift.

Serita, Andre and their family hold a special place in our hearts. They joined Uplift three years ago as part of our first cohort. Despite being in a rough place, they were always kind and caring to everyone. They always offered encouragement and support when others were having a challenging time. They didn't allow their situation to identify them but kept their focus on their family, their faith and their goals. They are great teachers of compassion, patience and the power in never giving up. Along with the other participants from our first year, they helped shape and define Uplift. Serita, Andre and their family have checked off many life changing accomplishments from their goal list over the past few years. They are an inspiration to everyone who knows them. After you watch their video we are sure you will feel the same. Since this video was created they reached another huge goal, they have been able to pay off all their debt.

When you first meet Deborah, Michael and Michael Jr. you're immediately struck by a sense of kindness and humility and you can't forget their wonderful sense of humor. When you scratch under the surface, you find a family that's overcome big, life changing obstacles yet continues to be a forward driven family. They started participating in Uplift a little over a year ago. At that time they were homeless. They lived in their car, stayed at hotels or slept on the couch of friends or family members.

"Uplift has been a huge support system for my family this past year. Instead of feeling like we were alone during this difficult time in our lives we felt like we belonged to a community of people that felt more like our family," said Deborah.

With the assistance of Elk Grove H.A.R.T. their family was able to find housing but there were still obstacles to overcome. "I didn't realize that going through homelessness had caused so much trauma. When you are homeless you feel very isolated from society. Uplift has helped me go through the process of trauma and made us feel like we mattered. I have gained a sense of belonging," said Deborah.

With much hard work, soul searching and the support of their new community, the family graduated from the Educational Phase in August 2019. When Michael was asked what he has gained so far from Uplift, he said, "I've developed networking skills and connections. Uplift has challenged my thinking, my outlook, and help me use goal setting strategies. I'm surrounded by good people that offer support and are as interested in my general success as I am." And if you ask six-year-old Michael Jr. what he likes about Uplift he'll tell you, he likes the time he spends doing activities with Norma and Mark (our childcare providers) and the opportunity to play with other children in the program.

Their family has made some tremendous steps forward, including a new and better job for Deborah, a second vehicle which has helped with transportation for a two income earning family, and connection to a faith based community. They've also made strides in paying off debt and planning for long term goals.

Unfortunately their family has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Michael was laid off from his job in the restaurant industry. With the loss of the second income the family is now concerned about keeping a roof over their head, paying the bills and keeping food on the table. Uplift has been able to connect their family with resources to remain stable during this time of instability.

"We are so thankful for the financial and emotional support that Uplift has continued to provide for our family," said Deborah. "Support within our community is more important than I realized," said Michael. We will continue to walk alongside Deborah, Michael and Michael Jr. as they navigate through the ups and downs of what life throws in their path.

Isaiah is an 18 year old man who joined our program with his mother and his two younger siblings. We had already been familiar with the family because they'd been living in their car for a while and taking advantage of the Elk Grove Winter Shelter Program, as well as various meal provisions around the area. We were glad when Mom decided to check out Uplift because, even though they didn't have stable housing, we felt that she had the potential to make important life changes to provide better for her family. Isaiah has been a key supporter for his mother for a long time, so it was natural for him to stay in our meetings even though he was still in high school, and when we discovered he was about to turn 18, we knew this was the best plan. Throughout our lessons, Isaiah was engaged and positive, although he didn't talk in the group much. We all celebrated with him when, a few months into the program, he got his driver's license, and then later when he got his first job, working Part-time at Taco Bell.

The family became more and more dedicated to the program, and Mom, Isaac and the younger children all seemed to be doing better. Mom made some difficult but necessary choices in her own life, and we continued to see the whole family getting stronger and more confident. Then the end of the school year came. Isaiah was working with a retired teacher, a volunteer with Uplift, who was helping him pass his classes to be able to graduate, but they got some bad news. There were other credits that he hadn't really earned yet due to the difficulties of living out of a car. Isaiah was devastated. He didn't want to finish his classes, he didn't see how any of it was going to help.

Through the relationships he and Mom built with people in Uplift, he found the motivation and real, everyday support he needed to change his mind, to pass those classes in the spring and then take his summer classes. Isaiah completed all of his credits during the summer and officially graduated from High School in August!

The other good news? The family is now in transitional housing, in real beds with a real roof, working towards being eligible and financially ready to obtain low-income housing when it's available.

Our program is time-intensive, and it involves a lot of people and what seems, sometimes, like a lot of money, but we are seeing results in the life changes that people are making.

Crystal and her two children were homeless. Her daughter was in the throws of addiction, she was running away, truant from school and was causing great upheaval in the lives of her family. Her son was getting left behind due to the chaotic and unpredictable environment which was causing him to withdrawal and struggle at school. Crystal was doing everything she could do to keep her family together but it was impossible to do it alone.

This is where the story ends for many families faced with similar situations but not for Crystal and her children. Crystal joined the Uplift family as a "Champion For Change" in our first Cohort. She learned about the cycle of poverty and the reasons why people can get stuck. She learned how past events can reshape our journey and take us off course. She learned about the hidden class rules and to navigate through shame. She learned that she had choices and with the support of a compassionate intentional community, she could set and achieve goals.

Today, Crystal owns her own business, has her own apartment and is thriving. She is our first Champion to transition into the final phase of the program which we call “The Giving Back Phase”. She has become a mentor for other Champions and is often found out in the community doing outreach work for Uplift. She also serves on our meal committee which coordinates dinners for our weekly meetings. And what about her children? Her daughter is off drugs, surrounded by new friends and just went to her first dance. She holds down a part-time job and is set to graduate 6 months ahead of her home schooling program. Her son is actively involved in local sports programs, just got his first B on his math test and has transitioned into a socially confident young person who always has something funny to say.

Recently at our Thanksgiving Family Potluck we shared about events or people that we were grateful for. Below is the story Crystal shared with the Uplift Family.

"I have so much to be thankful for. A year ago today we were homeless and I was jobless doing odd end jobs. I had a daughter who one year ago today was high on heroine. Life was a non-stop roller coaster. I was volunteering feeding the homeless yet was homeless myself. If I stopped more than a second to evaluate my situation I would get sick from my life spinning out of control. I have God to thank for my life and my children. With his blessing my children are now healthy and only high on life. I now own my own business, live in a beautiful apartment, and have a best friend who listens and helps me whenever he can. I thank Uplift for all the help and unlimited support and a new large family. Life does not work on your schedule, your time or your bank account but you can't give up. Just hang in for the long haul. You're always going to have good days and bad days. The people who surround me today are an amazing group and I'm thankful for them all".