Helping a Young Man Reclaim Stability Through CalFresh

Earlier this year, I met a young man whose life had taken an unexpected turn. As a former executive, he never imagined he would lose his job and become unhoused in just a few months. When he reached out to StLRS, I had the opportunity to support him through one of the most difficult moments in his life.

In February, he lost his job due to wrongful termination. Not long after, he couldn’t keep up with rent and faced eviction from his apartment. By the time he contacted me, he was already staying on a friend’s couch with no stable housing. He sent me copies of his termination and eviction letters, clearly overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin.

I immediately guided him through the CalFresh application process. That same day, I helped him complete his interview over the phone. By the end of the day, he was approved for both CalFresh and Medi-Cal. He shared how much he truly needed the support and how relieved he felt to have someone walk him through the process.

He later admitted that he didn’t understand how the benefits system worked and felt too emotionally drained to figure it out alone. I could see how much it meant to him to finally get help without judgment. As he told me, “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

This experience reminded me why our work at StLRS is so important—because sometimes, just one person believing in you and guiding you can help you regain control of your life. We plan to follow up with him to ensure he continues accessing his benefits as he works toward stable housing.