Maria, a bright and resilient 4-year-old girl, faced more challenges in her early years than most children her age. Living in Escondido with her single mother, Maria battled multiple health conditions, including a severe allergy to house dust mites, which caused frequent rashes and discomfort. In addition to her medical needs, her family struggled with food insecurity and limited financial resources.
Maria’s mother worked part-time and found herself overwhelmed with the mounting difficulties her family faced. That’s where Neighborhood’s Enhanced Care Management (ECM) team stepped in. The organization assigned a Community Health Worker (CHW) to Maria’s case and, after an initial assessment, connected Maria’s mother with Vista-based California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), a partner organization that helps families facing housing-related challenges. With a legal advocate now on her side, Maria’s mother secured free pest control services within two weeks.
Four months later, Maria’s mother began to feel relieved with the home infestation now under control and her daughter showing significant health improvement. “I don’t know where we would be without the help of the [Neighborhood] team,” she said. “I felt like we had nowhere to go, but now I feel like there is hope. My daughter is healthier, and I have support to keep us moving forward.”
Neighborhood’s ECM team also helped Maria’s mother enroll in the CalFresh program and a local food pantry to ensure the family’s nutritional needs were met. These efforts not only addressed Maria’s immediate health concerns but also gave her family the tools they needed to build a more stable future.
Maria’s story is one of many that Neighborhood supports thanks to the generosity and commitment of its donors. Contributions to these efforts directly impact families facing complex challenges by providing them with the resources, advocacy, and care that empower them to overcome barriers and achieve better health and stability. It’s stories like these that demonstrate why Neighborhood does more than provide quality, compassionate healthcare, and why they will continue to do so for all families, regardless of their situation or circumstance.