2021 DPSS Annual Report Online_FINAL

Annual Report 2020/2021

Adult Services

William

Today, William is happily housed. For more than five years, though, he was homeless. During that time, he battled the struggles of substance abuse and despair, would often go for days without eating, and had his few remaining personal belongings stolen from him. William had no family, no friends, no support system…and no hope. Even so, he often turned down offers for assistance. However, APS social worker Jose Cano decided that he wasn’t giving up on William. Cano had worked to establish a rapport with William, and he used that rapport to convince William to accept help from Project RoomKey. This initiative enabled people without permanent housing to find temporary, safe housing while the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded.

paperwork to apply for Section 8 housing. William eventually agreed to accept assistance and was accepted for a studio apartment in Cathedral City. He moved into the apartment in February 2021 and proudly paid his first month’s rent independently. Today, William, who is 73, is happy to be living in his own safe place, free at least from the fears and worries that plagued him on the streets.

Cano also convinced William to complete all the necessary

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