2021 DPSS Annual Report Online_FINAL

Annual Report 2020/2021

Adult Services

Virginia Helping a vulnerable person get off the streets or out of a homeless shelter and into a safe home of their own is a rewarding experience. Equally rewarding is helping people remain in their homes when they’re on the brink of homelessness.

including her property tax payments. Her debt kept growing. When the thought of possibly having to leave her home became a reality, Virginia contacted DPSS and Office on Aging to ask for financial assistance. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Adult Services team and its partners, she received funding to get caught up on property taxes and erase the worry of homelessness from her mind. Of course, Virginia points out that she still has to pay the mortgage and other bills, but she’s able to stay in her home, along with her four cats. And for that, she is so grateful. “I’m happy here, and it’s very private,” she says. “There’s a little forest right outside my window that I can see, and it’s so beautiful. It’s ideal for me.”

Virginia, 82, has lived in Cherry Valley for 22 years. She served as a Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and spent many years teaching English as a Second Language at California State University and several other schools. Located at the end of a quiet cul-de- sac, her mobile home is surrounded by trees and rosebushes that she planted herself. Though she’s still living and gardening there, last year she was on the brink of losing it all. Like many other seniors, Virginia lives on a fixed income. But with living expenses skyrocketing, Virginia fell behind on some of her bills,

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