Abraham Finds Hope, Housing and Employment at Harbor Care

Meet Abraham

Abraham was born in Mexico, but when he was two years old his parents brought him over to the United States without any documentation. For the most part, Abraham lived a normal life growing up in Los Angeles—going to school, playing with friends, and spending time with family. After graduating from high school, Abraham began working in construction and acquired skills as a roofer. His plan was to gain enough experience and save enough money to one day open his own construction business. As work became more regular, Abraham ventured out on his own to achieve his dreams. 

Abraham’s Journey

But when the pandemic hit, Abraham quickly found himself out of work and out on the street. Because of his undocumented status, assistance for Abraham was either difficult to obtain or financially out of reach for someone in his situation. Without steady work or income, Abraham resolved to become a day laborer, going to Home Depot every day in the hopes that one day he might get back on track towards his dream of owning a business. But as the days went by, Abraham began to wonder if his hopes and his dreams were past him.

Because Abraham’s livelihood depended on his availability to work every day, caring for his health was the least of his priorities. But one day in the Spring of 2023, a severe stomach issue forced Abraham to go to the hospital. Shortly thereafter, Abraham was referred to Harbor Care Center for an extended period of recovery.

How Harbor Helped Abraham

Though he was a bit skeptical at first that Harbor could help him, Abraham was soon visited by a familiar feeling of hope and optimism. “I had been places before where they said they would help me, and then they couldn’t,” Abraham recalls. “So, I wasn’t sure if Harbor could help. But they really helped me here. The Care Unit kept everything clean, and the kitchen cooked great food. I felt really comfortable here.” 

Case Managers Jose and Veronica assisted Abraham with obtaining several vital services, including job training and employment networks through Chrysalis and interim housing with on-site case management through LAHSA. The Harbor Case Management team were also able to secure for Abraham a scholarship that pays for his naturalization fees and assists him in his application to become a U.S. Citizen.

Abraham’s outlook as he leaves Harbor is bright. He is extremely grateful to the team at Harbor for giving him back his dream. “They should call this place ‘Hope at Harbor’,” Abraham remarks, “because that’s what I found here.”