Today we congratulate Camille for getting into her own place today which will allow her to reunite with her daughter. We built a budget with Camille and then helped her with her security deposit after she found a rental she could afford. The great news is that this Mother and daughter will be together for Christmas in their own apartment. Read her story below:

Hi, My name is Camille. I recently moved to LA from Texas with my 5 year old daughter to reunite with my biological mother. Within the first week I realized we had made a horrible mistake (she’s on drugs) and my daughter and I were left homeless. I still managed to obtain a job, a car and childcare for my daughter in spite of the hardships we faced. We have slept in shelters, on floors of stranger’s home and mostly in my car when we couldn’t find a place for the night. I have had to wait to live and work here in LA for 6 months before being approved for an apartment and right when I finally made 6 months of working, my daughter was taken from me by DCFS and I can’t get her back because I’m homeless. I have been searching for a place since the end of August and everything keeps getting rented before I can get there or I don’t qualify because I don’t have enough “established credit” or the place is just too expensive. I have finally centered on a place and am currently waiting to hear from them regarding approval. I had saved up money, but with paying for random rooms, paying someone to sleep or shower, paying for repairs on my car and paying for gas to drive all over the city searching for a place, I cannot afford at all the total move in cost. The DHHS was going to pay for my deposit since we were on their homeless program, but now that they have found out that my daughter was taken, they have removed us from the program. My car is paid for and the only other bills I have are cell phone, insurance and food/gas. Any help, referral, assistance ANYTHING will be a blessing to us. I just need a break. I’m hanging onto everything by a thread due to the ignificant amount of stress I’m under and being in a new city with no friends doesn’t help. We, I desperately need assistance. I want my daughter back. The pictures I attached were recently taken during a monitored visit I had with my daughter on her 5th birthday. I do not want to have to live through the upcoming holiday season without her in my care. Thank you, Camille