Imagine feeling pain in your knees every time you took a step or tried to get up out of a chair. For Beverly, that had become a way of life for many years. Her knee pain had become so bad, that Beverly was forced to leave her position at a large investment firm in 2004, filing for disability benefits.

The hurt that Loyda felt was immeasurable. She was living with her husband and granddaughter in an apartment in Mattapan when she received an eviction notice. The property owner, one of Loyda’s relatives, raised the rent to an amount that Loyda could not afford.

Soon after he enrolled at Roxbury Community College (RCC), Garland was notified that he had to leave his apartment building, along with all of the other residents, because the new owner was planning to do major renovations.

A native of the Dominican Republic who came to Massachusetts at the age of 20, Katty was unable to work due to multiple disabilities. She always did what she had to do to protect her children, even if it meant living in a shelter.

A stroke left Michael’s left side severely impaired, made worse by the fact that he was left handed. As someone who was dedicated to helping others, Michael was now the one who needed assistance.

Tawanda has always been a fighter, never giving up for her quest for a stable home and a comfortable life for herself. It was that drive and determination that helped Tawanda find a new home after spending nearly a year in a local shelter.

Bertha was a dedicated bus driver for the MBTA for 16 years, working four 10-hour days. She woke up one day to get ready for work, but something didn’t feel right. She had a severe headache that she could not shake.

When Stephen suffered a severe stroke in January of 2017, his family did not think he was going to make it. In fact Stephen was pronounced dead at the hospital. But the Dorchester native was not ready to quit and he soon began the fight of his life.

Lori’s long journey toward economic security began after marrying at a young age. After enduring years of verbal and physical abuse she summoned the courage to take her two children and move into a family shelter in Waltham.

Being six-months pregnant in June, 2017, Mercedes struggled to find extra employment that would help her cover her expenses until school started up again in the fall. As she fell behind in her rent over the summer, Mercedes became anxious about her housing situation and the possibility of eviction,