Shouldering the weight of his family’s well-being hasn’t diminished Kevin Moreno’s spirits. This impressive 20-year-old is living out his dreams of working in the medical profession, while also serving as the primary provider for his two younger siblings, mother and grandmother.
Kevin and his family moved into our Sierra Vista community last October after spending years sharing a studio apartment. Living in that tiny space was stressful for the entire family and it was Kevin who sought out a solution.
“Finding a place to live has been the hardest challenge for my family,” Kevin said. “Moving to Sierra Vista was a huge relief.”
The Morenos are part of our Children’s Home Initiative (CHI). CHI is an intensive support program for extremely low-income families with young children. The rent CHI families pay is even further reduced and they receive on-site case management, employment assistance, and access to our education, financial stability and health programs.
Kevin was able to get a job at St. David’s Hospital as a patient care technician by enrolling in a training program he found with the help of his case manager. He is passionate about his new job and makes more than he did working in retail.
Thinking about what’s best for his family has been Kevin’s main focus over the last four years. When he was 16, Kevin’s father was incarcerated and it suddenly became his responsibility to step up.
Kevin worked long hours at various retail stores as a high school student. He successfully graduated but his family’s struggles didn’t ease up. His mother was pregnant with his younger sister when his father left and Kevin didn’t want his sister to grow up without space to grow and play. He researched their options and applied to Foundation Communities. The family soon found their home at Sierra Vista.
Along with the support he received to secure a higher-paying job, Kevin said that staff and volunteers have taught him how to better manage his money and save for unexpected events. His siblings are also thriving. His younger brother, Dylan, is doing well as a student at McCallum High School and his younger sister, Avia, is enrolled in our free pre-literacy program which prepares students for kindergarten.
Kevin plans to move up the ladder at St. David’s and has high hopes for his younger siblings. He credits his mother and his grandmother for their strength and faith in him. Just as he continues to do for his family, Kevin wants to take care of people in whatever way he can in his professional life.
“I believe I have a big heart,” Kevin said. We couldn’t agree more.
To learn more about our CHI program, please visit www.FoundCom.org/housing/at-risk-homeless-families/