A Home to Call Their Own: Raquel & Andrew’s Story

When Raquel and her partner, Andrew, arrived in San Diego with their four young children, they were determined to build a better life. But after months of moving between motels and transitional housing, stability still felt out of reach. “We were never on the street, but it was hard,” Raquel recalls. “We just wanted a safe place for our kids.” 

While they waited for a housing voucher to come through, Andrew and Raquel (both former foster youth) were connected to Just in Time. JIT quickly stepped in to cover several weeks at a motel, ensuring the family had a safe place to stay. In March 2024, the voucher came through and the family moved into an apartment, but their new space was empty except for one borrowed mattress.  

Raquel and Andrew applied to My First Home. Their caseworker coordinated with JIT to ensure the couple quickly received beds for each child while they waited for their official My First Home “Shopping Day”.  

“They had everything – couches, dressers, pots and pans, even a coffee maker,” Raquel remembers. When JIT volunteers arrived with the furniture the kids were “jumping for joy.”  

“My oldest daughter is 6, so she could better understand what was happening” recalls Raquel, “She was so happy seeing that we have a couch and we have this big TV! “It made our apartment feel like home.” 

With a stable, furnished home, Raquel and her Andrew are focusing on their family’s next steps, which include stable transportation and school.