BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Esperanza House provides transitional housing for women, helping them regain stability and hope.
- Resident Serena Delgado overcame addiction and is now studying to become a correctional officer.
- The home has a two-year program offering support in housing, jobs, and education.
- Program manager Susan Harrison highlights the overwhelming demand for transitional housing in the community.
- Funding challenges persist, with ongoing efforts to secure grants to sustain programs.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Casa Esperanza House transitional living giving woman hope. Serena Delgado, Esperanza transitional home resident, shares her story.
Esperanza transitional home is giving woman in the community hope for a second chance in society as I spoke to one mother who is making a difference for her children.
Serena Delgado said, "You know you don't find this often and how this barely opened up you know, When I found out about it. I was like wow like when I came here kids live here like this is such a beautiful home like it looks so organized."
In 2018, Serena Delgado, a mother of six, says she was addicted to meth and moving place to place with her kids. She continued, "So from then I just decided like you know that's not my life this is what I want." Two years later she is sober; the new struggle she had was applying everywhere for assistance and housing but no response.
She stated, "In the past I've tried to seek help and shelter there was no availability so I placed myself on even to locations in Fresno wherever."
But Delgado says she didn't give up. Nine months ago she was accepted to the Esperanza transitional living home, now she dreams and studies at Bakersfield College to be a correctional officer, utilizing all the programs Esperanza has to offer. Susan
Harrison, manager of Esperanza Home, said, "Her dream light went on and that's one of our goals and it hasn't went off yet and that's our goal here is to turn those light on." Susan Harrison tells me in a given week, Delgado is one of the many woman with kids looking for help and getting turned down as she receives around 50 calls.
She explained, "The need is huge and I don't feel like it's getting less calls for that other agencies school districts are calling us as well to see if we have room on a regular basis."
With Esperanza Home being one of the only transitional homes having a six month to a two year program offering family housing, jobs, college services, and financial programs, with the goal in mind to bridge woman to home ownership, Harrison says there's a need for more transitional homes like Esperanza and a lack of funding.
She added, "We are always in search in grant funding that will help us to continue sustain all of the programming that we offer the children and the mothers."
Hope to creating a new family and changing the path to success is what Delgado tells me Esperanza Home has to offer woman.
Serena Delgado said, "No matter where you don't know where you may be or may lead god and the community has helped me get to where I am today so I didn't give up I just knew there was hope."
Casa Esperanza Transitional Housing is in the middle of accepting applicants. You can reach the number below for more information: 661 742 1018 or 211.
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