California Covid-19 Rent Relief

The California COVID-19 Rent Relief program is working to keep families housed by helping income-eligible households with rent and utilities, for both past due and future payments. Both renters and landlords can apply to receive help from this program.

• Free financial assistance is available to landlords and renters who need help with unpaid or future rent or utilities.

• Landlords and renters are both encouraged to apply.

• Income-eligible applicants may qualify regardless of immigration status and will not be required to show proof of citizenship.

• Assistance from the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief program does NOT count as earned income (for renters) and will NOT affect eligibility for any other state benefit assistance programs, such as CalFresh or CalWORKS.

• All applicant information is kept private and will not be shared.

• Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Priority assistance will be given to income eligible households most at-risk of eviction.

• Once an application has been successfully processed, both the landlord and renter will be notified of next steps.

START YOUR APPLICATION HERE:

https://housing.ca.gov/covid_rr/program_overview.html#renter

For any additional questions or concerns, including eligibility and application help, please call CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Call Center at 833-430-2122.

June Program Update

Summer is in full swing! We can’t believe 2021 is already half over – where did the time go?!

So far this year, Family Promise of Orange County has served 55 families for a total of 193 people, including 104 children! We have had 6 families graduate into permanent housing, with a 7th family set to graduate very soon!

With pandemic restrictions easing, we are happy to be able to again offer in-person volunteer opportunities. For the most current list of available volunteer opportunities and to sign up, visit our Volunteer Page.

We are also overjoyed to announce that we will be reopening our Emergency Shelter Program in collaboration with our congregational partners. We are aiming for a September 2021 reopening! We can’t wait to be able to help more families on their journeys to overcoming homelessness.

This past month, we also saw the full interior renovation and redecoration of one of our transitional houses, Kramer House, courtesy of IKEA and their A Place Called Home initiative. You can check out the before and after photos, as well as the photos from the ribbon-cutting ceremony, on our blog as well by clicking here.

Coming up later this summer, we hope to complete the renovation and redecoration of our other transitional house, Jacob House. We will also be very busy getting our kids ready for back-to-school time! We are now collecting backpacks and school supplies for our back-to-school event if you would like to donate!

Also, a date has been selected for our Annual Gala in the Fall – so SAVE THE DATE for Saturday, October 16th. We are so happy to announce that our Annual Gala will be an IN-PERSON event!

On behalf of our families, volunteers, and staff, thank you for your continued support of our program. We hope everyone has a wonderful Fourth of July holiday weekend!

Transforming Our Transitional Home!

We are overjoyed to show you the final results of the complete interior renovation of one of our short-term transitional houses, Kramer House, courtesy of IKEA and their A Place Called Home initiative!

Family Promise of Orange County was selected by IKEA to receive over $15,000 worth of IKEA goods to completely transform our four-bedroom, two-bathroom, home that is used to house our families in our Transitional Housing Program.

Below you will find the before and after photos, photos from the ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Mayor of Fullerton, Bruce Whitaker, and some photos of our newest family moving into the home last week!

Thank you to all the volunteers and supporters who made this project possible!

SOME BEFORE PHOTOS OF THE HOUSE:

Living Room:

Bedroom:

Kitchen:

Dining Area:

FURNITURE ASSEMBLY IS HAPPENING!

RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY:

Cyndee speaking:

Video of Cyndee speaking:

Graduate Family Albert & Renee telling their story:

The Mayor of Fullerton, Bruce Whitaker, presents IKEA with their certificate.

L-R: Cyndee Albertson, Executive Director of Family Promise; Bruce Whitaker, Mayor of Fullerton; Vanessa Flores, IKEA Representative, Marjorie Ambroise, Family Promise of Orange County Board Member and Graduate

IKEA Volunteers:

Family Promise of Orange County staff, graduates, board members, and supporters:

Family Promise of Orange County staff with Mayor Whitaker:

Cut that ribbon!

Time to tour the house!

THE FABULOUS TRANSFORMATION RESULTS:

A NEW FAMILY MOVES IN:

Case manager, Alexis, showing the third bed pullout...

...And the wonderful storage solutions!

THANK YOU IKEA!!!!!