When the world seemed to be crumbling down, the USI Baltimore team was able to help this one resident find their way to stable and thriving.
The world for Americans at large has been turned upside down due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. And not for the better.
The Impact of COVID-19 on US Households
At least half of the polled households in major US cities reported severe financial problems like depleted savings or trouble affording bills or medical care. Black and Latino families, homes making less than $100,000 annually, and households experiencing job or wage losses have felt these impacts on an even larger scale. These underserved populations are the people that USI seeks to support nationally in our programming work at sites like USI Baltimore and through our Policy and Influence work.
For this one USI Baltimore resident, one more crisis, like their grandchildren being placed into the foster care system, would’ve tipped them over the edge.
Trusting the process
The USI Baltimore team met one resident in the Perkins Homes community (PSO) and discovered how close to the edge they were despite their resiliency through the COVID-19 pandemic. This resident was facing possible eviction due to a high rent balance and fighting for guardianship of their grandchildren.
The USI Baltimore team quickly got to work, assisting the resident in implementing a strict budget to reach the goal of paying their rent arrears. Through the support of USI Baltimore, this resident was able to pay down their arrears and eventually find new housing.
Having a solid foundation to build upon
Because of their success in obtaining better housing, this PSO resident was now ready to work towards guardianship of their grandchildren, who were on the verge of entering the foster care system. With a strong foundation under them and the reliable USI Baltimore team to guide them, this resident could obtain all the documents and take all the steps needed to gain guardianship officially.
Out of crisis and onto thriving
Now, this Perkins resident and their grandchildren live in comfortable and stable housing, despite all the barriers against them, many due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the lifting of social distancing and mask guidelines, the impacts of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic are still faced by USI residents every day. USI, as an organization, is continually working towards combating those impacts directly through our community and national partnerships, Policy and Influence work, and of course, the foundational programming work of Family Support Specialists in our sites across the nation.