In 2018, her husband tragically passed away at the age of 25. Two weeks later, she found out she was pregnant. Victoria gave birth to her son, Cesar, less than a year later and began raising him as a single mother. Already on a tight budget, Victoria lost her job two weeks before Christmas in 2022. “Eventually, when I didn’t get a job fast enough, there was nothing left.” Victoria reached out for rental assistance with another organization and was thrilled to learn she had been approved. So, it came as a surprise to see an eviction letter on her door shortly after the first of the month. Desperate and looking to shield her son from her struggle, Victoria found USA Cares and was approved for assistance. Her and Cesar avoided homelessness by a matter of days. “A lot of us vets, we’re not good at asking for help,” Victoria said. “It was a difficult and humbling experience.” “I am eternally grateful that someone was there to grab my hand when I was reaching out of the water,” Victoria said. “These donors, these people willing to help, God bless them. They need to know the impact they have so they know how important their support is.” | 