Victoria & Stephen Take Care of Their Health as a Couple Living Together in a HOPE Home
HOPE residents Victoria and Stephen enjoy living independently as a couple thanks to HOPE.
by Lauren Quijano-Gin
“A home is a place where I can find peace and happiness with the person that I love”, Victoria says as she sits in the garden chair of the backyard, seated next to her partner, Stephen. Victoria grew up in San Pedro with her grandmother before living in a group home in Long Beach. Stephen was living with his two sisters. Afterward, they had the opportunity to move into a HOPE home in Torrance together. They were happy to hear about HOPE through their Harbor Regional Center counselors. Prior to living in a HOPE home, they would visit each other after work. Victoria was working in a print shop in Hermosa Beach as an assistant. She worked there for almost 5 years before she, unfortunately, lost her job due to the pandemic. “Having an affordable home allows me to still come home to Stephen”, she says.
“A home is a place where I can find peace and happiness with the person that I love.”
— Victoria
Victoria is grateful that she now has a stable home where she can do her own grocery shopping, pay her bills, schedule doctors appointments, and manage her own healthcare. Stephen loves having a place where he can be himself and be happy. Each day Stephen likes to take care of himself by taking his medicine and going on walks. He also enjoys Victoria’s cooking. “A home to me means safety”, says Stephen as he looks at Victoria. He is always thinking about how to help Victoria feel comfortable, and offers her a bottled water or asks if her seat is comfortable. Thanks to the supporters of HOPE, Victoria and Stephen can continue to live healthily and happily together.
To empower HOPE to continue to help people with I/DD sustain long-lasting relationships, contribute to this vital work today at http://www.hope-homes.org/ways-to-give/donate.
