Hope Renewed: Personal Journeys of Community Action's Rental Assistance Recipients

In the wake of COVID-19, Community Action Lehigh Valley collaborated with Catholic Charities to channel over $40 million into an Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). We sat down with two beneficiaries to understand the profound impact of this initiative.
Meet Kenny: a devoted single father and master's degree holder. An identity theft crisis saw him lose thousands of dollars from his savings. With dwindling time and mounting pressure from his landlord, he was on the brink of homelessness, potentially separating him from his daughter. Our ERAP program became his beacon of hope.
Then there's Leslie, a loving guardian to her three grandchildren. Stricken with COVID twice and without the benefit of paid sick leave, she grappled with escalating bills. Without the lifeline that our ERAP provided, the prospect of her grandchildren entering foster care became all too real.
Unfortunately, ERAP funding concluded in October 2023. Organizations like Community Action urgently require sustained governmental support and resources. Our mission is clear: to extend emergency aid to those in dire straits, ensuring every individual has a safe and nurturing environment with their loved ones. In fiscal year 2022-2023, Community Action's program assisted 1,608 households by preventing eviction.
Videography: Marco Calderon, @calderonphoto