Searching for assistance in the wake of potential eviction, Veronica Guzman of Glendale thankfully came across the Society St. Vincent de Paul.

After a golf cart accident resulting in a compound fracture of her ankle, Guzman had eight surgeries, multiple rounds of cortisone shots and could not walk without pain. She had worked two jobs before the accident — one for the state of Arizona and another part-time job at Dillard’s department store.

“It was just to have some extra money,” Guzman told the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which published her story on its website. “We were doing OK then, but obviously everything changed.” 

Veronica Guzman | YouTube

Following the accident, Guzman acquired Social Security Disability and tried to maintain her part-time job to supplement her check, but had to leave due to the pain of prolonged standing.

“You don’t ever think anything like that is going to happen to you or how it’s going to affect you,” she said. “I knew there were homeless people obviously, but I didn’t know that it could happen so quickly to just ordinary people.”

Guzman’s Social Security Disability check of $1,313 did not cover the rent of $1,060, utilities, groceries and medical bills. She said she would rotate which bill she would fall short on each month, knowing late fees would pile up and eviction was inevitable from her apartment on 83rd Avenue.

“You didn’t even want to answer the door because you didn’t know,” she said.

Guzman is a single mother to her 21-year-old daughter, who is a student at Estrella Mountain Community College and works a part-time job to cover individual expenses.

“I was negative over $1,000 every single month,” Guzman said. “You’re so desperate, and living in fear of being out on the street, you just turn to whoever you can.”

Guzman reached out to several agencies and services before coming across St. Vincent de Paul.

“A lot of people will tell you the same thing over and over again — that there are no funds,” she said. “They ask you to call back or refer you to some other place that doesn’t have the funds either.”

Reaching out to St. Vincent de Paul to learn about their Resource Center, Guzman talked to Resource Center Director Cherylyn Strong.

“Cherylyn listened to me and heard my whole story,” Guzman said. “You could just tell it wasn’t another job assignment for her. It’s just crazy. They’ve been constant. It’s just so different. I don’t understand how all of a sudden I came across all this luck because before we didn’t have anything.”

Strong started the Guzmans on a multi-pronged approach, proving immediate rent assistance and suggesting income-based housing. However, Guzman made too much to qualify for the income-based housing and she didn’t make three times the monthly rent for regular rentals.

“I didn’t want to just pay rent one month to know that we were putting off the problem,” Strong said. 

Pooling community resources, St. Vincent de Paul provided rent assistance and partnered with Ability 360, an organization offering assistance to people with disabilities, so the Guzmans were able to qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher through the Housing Authority of Maricopa County.

“I was so excited the day I got the housing voucher, but it was difficult to go out and find a place that takes Section 8,” Guzman said, adding that it took two and half months to find a home.

St. Vincent de Paul also helped to pay move-in expenses and gave the Guzmans a food box and gift card for a washing machine, ensuring their smooth transition into their new Avondale home at the beginning of 2020. The Guzmans have a 12-month lease and housing voucher review in a year to re-check their income.

“So far everything has just been falling into place,” Guzman said. “I’m just so glad we’re here now. Of course, there’s a lot of stuff you want to do and get, but I don’t worry about that anymore.”