The eviction crisis is a stark reality in the stories coming out of VIP House Meetings with immigrant families. A recent Catholic News Service article features the story of Maria Arreola, an emerging Valley Interfaith Project (VIP) leader who has struggled to provide housing for her family since falling ill with COVID-19.
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Excerpt from the Angelus article by Catholic News Service reporter Dennis Sadowski: "The novel coronavirus threw Maria Arreola for a loop in June, sending her to the hospital for four weeks in a battle with COVID-19. For a while, she was sick enough to be placed on a ventilator... She lost her job July 22, a week after returning home. Arreola said managers at Prada, the luxury women's clothing store where she worked for five years as a cleaner, told her she missed too many days because of her illness. A month later, she and two her sons were evicted after not paying rent while she was sick and off the job. Now the trio lives with Arreola's sister, crowding into a two-bedroom apartment. Income for the joined household of six is limited. One of Arreola's sons recycles scrap metal to make a few dollars. The sisters work irregular hours cleaning homes and apartments. The pay: $70 each per house." |
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Attending VIP House Meetings gave Ms. Arreola newfound hope.
"Valley Interfaith, she said, has "given me a voice." That's because she's able to talk publicly about her situation and understand she's not alone. Arreola is inviting other members of St. Agnes Parish, where she worships, to the meetings and learning how to advocate for people struggling during the pandemic."
Read the full article here.
Learn more about the eviction crisis and sign the VIP/AIN Eviction Crisis Petition:
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