Narciso and his wife moved to Plymouth during a time when work was steady and times were good. He had a well-paying job and they lived in an apartment they could afford. They experienced the abundance this great Twin Cities community had to offer and were able to live near his employer. “Many people told me living in this area would be too expensive. But I thought, I want to live here. I’m a truck driver. I make good money,” he told us.
Then COVID-19 hit. Like so many others living with high medical risk, Narciso had to leave his job.
When Narciso and Diana needed support to make ends meet, Interfaith’s dedicated case managers, housing team, food shelf and employment services staff were ready to help. Thanks to Sleep Out donors, they did not get evicted in their time of need. Interfaith provided rent assistance while Narciso worked hard to learn additional job skills. He dreams of a day when he can open his own businesses, including candy making and Spanish interpreting. His housing case manager also continues to assist in his search for affordable housing. As the eviction moratorium lifts and unemployment benefits end, many neighbors like Narciso and Diana are struggling to get financially caught up.
The question is…where can they go? Their rent costs $1,400 per month and their current household income is about $1,500. The math just does not work.
“I’ll be the first to admit we are living beyond our means right now because I’m disabled. My wife has taken a part-time job, but we still really can’t afford [to live] where we’re at. I’ve paid the rent here for many years, and now I can’t. I feel like I don’t belong. Knowing I’ll have to go find a new home that I can afford…I am fighting as much as I can to not let the waterworks come out. It’s difficult, but Interfaith has been a humongous blessing.”
Together we can work to make sure families like Narciso and Diana know they DO belong here. We can build a community where all can thrive.