Giving Success Stories
Since inception in 1981, Auction Napa Valley has given $90 million to healthcare, youth development and affordable housing non-profits in Napa County—what's raised in Napa, stays in Napa. Here are some personal stories from the clients of Auction grant recipients. Thanks to the vintners, the bidders and the volunteers, Auction Napa Valley makes a difference to the people in our community.
Family Success
Lynn and her husband Eric came to Calistoga Family Center in a real emotional and financial crisis. They met with the Family Services Coordinator and explained that due to the slow economy, Eric’s work hours were reduced to only a few hours per week. Lynn also had been working, but she contracted viral meningitis and was no longer able to go to her job.
It was already the beginning of the month, and they couldn’t cover the rent for the apartment they shared with their two children. With no rent money, they were at risk for being homeless and did not want to end up on the streets with their kids. Because they were unemployed, they did not qualify for the local housing assistance programs that require proof of sufficient income to cover future monthly expenses. We were able to help them make their rent from our emergency aid fund and kept these parents and children in their home.
The family continued to work with the Family Services Coordinator one-on-one and has been successful in finding employment and health care. With these needs taken care of, they are able to better parent their children. Thanks to Auction Napa Valley funding, this overwhelmed family is safe and stable in their home. - submitted by Calistoga Family Center
Oscar
Oscar was 3 years old when he came to the U.S. from Mexico. Unlike his older brother Sai who struggled when he entered school, Oscar had the benefit of participating in Head Start and the Raising A Reader Program prior to attending kindergarten. His mother Mireya says that because Oscar had access to English and Spanish books from an early age, he was able to develop dual language skills more quickly and easily than his older brother. “Oscar started to read books on his own within the first two months of kindergarten,” she says. “I didn’t need to help him as much with his English,” she says.
“Raising A Reader involves the entire family in reading and learning,” says Frias, who was introduced to the program as a parent. “When my son Oscar brought his first Raising A Reader book bag home, it was like a treasure. The whole family read the books together, including my husband, Rosalio, even though he works full time and has a long commute. When we were busy, Oscar’s older brother Sai read to him. These books helped all of us to learn English. My 3-year-old daughter, Rosalia, loves to share books with us, too.” - submitted by Child Start Inc, Raising A Reader
Big Dipper
Antonio is a sixth-grader at Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in St. Helena. He lives with his two younger brothers and his mother in a very low-income household. His mother enrolled him in the program because he is having trouble in school and suffers from anxiety.
Jose, a junior at St. Helena High School, has proven to be an excellent match for Antonio. Jose, who was adopted, understands what it is like to come from a non-traditional family and he has been a great support to Antonio. In addition, while Antonio is quiet and withdrawn, Jose is outgoing and gregarious and has started to help Antonio gain confidence and feel more comfortable around his peers.
This month, the two of them worked together on a poster about the dangers of smoking and underage drinking. They took first prize in the Youth 4 Youth poster contest and won a gift certificate to the Big Dipper - the local ice cream shop in St. Helena. On their poster they had carefully painted an equation showing cigarettes plus alcohol equals death. In bold letters they wrote, “You do the math. Does it all add up to what you thought it would?” All the kids in the other Youth 4 Youth programs were impressed with their work and the two were thrilled to learn last week that they had won the poster competition. They are now talking about what kind of ice cream they will be getting with those Big Dipper Dollars! - submitted by Big Brothers Big Sisters
A Recent Graduate: Jen’s Story
My whole life I had been surrounded by drugs. My Mom abused meth, my Dad left when I was 9 and was on the streets of San Francisco using heroin. Because my mother was using drugs, I was often left in the care of my abusive Grandmother. I first started using marijuana and alcohol at age 14. One night, after drinking heavily, I was raped by a family friend. That’s when marijuana and alcohol became my closest friends. By age 16, I had started on prescription pills (given to me by my Grandmother) and soon turned to meth, cocaine and ecstasy. I began using cocaine every day, spending every last dollar I had on it. I stole and lied for coke. On the outside I had become more social and confident, but on the inside I hated the person that I had become. My Mom was living in a campsite with an abusive boyfriend, using drugs. I felt that there was nothing for me at home, and so I stayed out more and more, also using drugs. Eventually, I got kicked out of school and decided to run away. I was gone for 18 days, and no one in my family knew where I was. When my Mom finally found me, she had made the decision to get clean and sober and move us into the family shelter. She discovered that I was using drugs and took me to Wolfe Center. I was so resistant, but now I thank God every day for letting me end up at Wolfe. Although at first I was in denial and didn’t think that anyone could help me, soon the counselors helped me realize that I wanted much more from life than drugs. I wanted to get a High School diploma, a college degree, and most of all; I wanted to be clean and sober and to have a good life. At Wolfe Center, I learned to trust people, and I realized that not everyone is going to leave or let you down. I could finally let all my problems out.
Today, after graduating, I know that more than ever, what I want is to stay clean. My life is 100% better without drugs. I am in college, studying to be a drug and alcohol counselor like my counselors at Wolfe Center. I know that life can get tough, but I’m determined to not let it get the better of me. I am attending the Wolfe Center After Care groups and will continue to use the tools that I was given at Wolfe Center to stay clean and sober and accomplish my goals. - submitted by the Wolfe Center
Thriving in our community
Many of Napa Valley Community Housing’s residents thrive in our larger community. They are encouraged and directed by our Resident Services Coordinators to expand their horizons, whether it is language, education, health care or a combination of many services. We’re very proud of our services and residents.
One of Napa Valley Community Housing (NVCH) residents for many years was Mica. She was thankful to live at our Mayacamas property growing up and through young adulthood. She married at a young age and had a child. NVCH staff encouraged her to stay in school. Mica took our classes in finances, parenting and leadership. Through the leadership classes, she found the confidence to attend Napa Valley Community College. Successful there, she transferred to UC Davis for her degree and teaching credential. She returned to Napa where she taught at Napa Valley Language Academy. For several years, she worked for the County and saved enough money to purchase a home. Active in the community, she was one of the coordinators of the Latina Women’s Conference and serves on the board of the Hispanic Network. Mica recently became vice principal of a Napa high school.
This is just one success story among many where our residents further themselves and, in so doing, create a positive local impact. - submitted by Napa Valley Community Housing
When hard work isn’t enough
When Susan came to Cope Family Center, she had exhausted all her resources and was scared that she and her fourteen year old daughter would soon be homeless. Always a hard worker, Susan had never asked for help and did not know what resources were available as she dealt with a difficult transition in her life.
Susan once had a lifestyle most of us would envy. “I went from having it all to having nothing,” she confides. She, her husband and their daughter, Kelly, enjoyed a “comfortable” life financially, which ended dramatically when the two divorced. After 20 years of physical and mental abuse by her husband, Susan left her marriage to start a new life with her daughter. With no child support or alimony from her ex-husband, Susan worked two jobs to make ends meet. Susan and Kelly managed to get by, living in an apartment in Yountville, working two jobs until the economy worsened and she was laid off from her job at a local retailer.
For three months, Susan and Kelly stayed at friend’s and family’s homes, as Susan tried to find a second job. About this same time, Kelly began skipping school and was taken to juvenile hall for truancy. Referred by a partner agency, Susan reached out for help when her daughter was about to be released from Juvenile Hall. Without a home, they would not release Kelly to Susan’s custody. While Susan had found a second job, and found an apartment she could afford, she did not have enough money saved for the security deposit or first month’s rent.
Through our Safety Net Services and Emergency Aid Fund at Cope Family Center, Cope staff was able to help Susan get into her new apartment. At Susan’s first visit, she met with staff to determine her resources and assets. She completed an application for Emergency Aid that provided documentation of income and need for assistance. The staff determined that Susan was eligible to apply for assistance from the Housing Fund through the Napa Valley Community Foundation but this maximum grant amount from this fund would not cover the total amount that was needed for the security deposit and first months rent. But by leveraging funds from Cope’s Emergency Aid Fund, Susan applied for and received monetary support from this resource.
With the immediate housing crisis addressed, Susan received additional assistance for her longer term challenges a subsequent visit. The staff at Cope referred Susan and Kelly to partner agencies for receive counseling to deal with the years of abuse they suffered. Health Insurance for Kelly was obtained through the Children’s Health Initiative. Finally, Susan received a lead and secured a job as an in-home care giver from a Cope staff, her third part time job.
At the end of her first visit, Susan was visibly relieved and optimistic about the future. What impressed Susan most was learning that there are people that care and can help provide assistance to those willing to work hard. “There really are people who believe in helping people to better themselves. It really touched me. Cope’s staff has been so helpful, very caring, professional yet warm and easy to connect with. Cope has been an answer to my prayers!” - submitted by Cope Family Center
