Live Week: Victor’s Story

We’re back with another story, and this one’s got God’s fingerprints all over it.

It’s Live Week, and we’re diving into what that really means. I’m hoping this story sticks with you the way it stuck with me.. It’s a really cool example of why we keep showing up, and just how unique each day can become. This one’s about Victor, a neighbor who was in danger, and how both us and our partners stepped up to help him live again. Probably literally.

This past week, Jason, our Director of Housing Programs, came to me to talk about an emergency situation. Our partners from Norwalk Social Services and SCHARP reached out about a neighbor living on the San Gabriel Riverbed locally in Norwalk. This guy had been through it.. robbed twice, stabbed, and left with nothing.. he no longer had his wallet, his ID, and beyond the documents, his safety.

If you’ve been around this field for just about any length of time, you know that the riverbed’s a rough place.. Life down there is its own beast, and Victor was scared for his life. The good news? Norwalk Housing Authority, Social Services, and the Weingart Center were already working together to get him into a permanent housing project in Norwalk, and he was set to move in this Wednesday the 10th. But until then, because of his situation, he was stuck in a dangerous spot with nowhere to go and nobody to really trust.

That’s when Jason brought up to our team about tapping into the Love Thy Neighbor Fund. And we didn’t hesitate. As much as we wish this didn’t have to happen to people to begin with, it’s really what the fund is for and why it was created in the first place.. to step in where red tape ties others’ hands, to meet urgent and real needs.. to show up when a neighbor’s got nothing left. Through the LTNF, we got him into a Motel 6 to keep him safe until his housing was ready.. and that’s why I believe this fund, you and your donations, the team here.. probably literally saved Victor’s life.

This story hits hard.. Being robbed multiple times, getting stabbed, moving around with a sense of fear and uncertainty, constantly?.. that’s not living. That’s surviving, and barely at that. But God has a way of showing up.. through KCB, through SCHARP, through Norwalk Housing Authority and the Weingart Center, through you and your support.. and this time was no different. This neighbor went from the riverbed with a knife in his body to a motel bed with a pillow under his head, and now he’s stepping into permanent housing with a voucher in hand. That’s what Live Week is about.. helping people move from just hanging on to getting to a place where they can start building a life with dignity instead of hyper vigilance.

The LTNF is not a big, flashy program with endless paperwork. It’s a donor-supported fund that lets us act fast when a neighbor’s in crisis. Every dollar you give to LTNF helps us stand in the gap.. whether it’s a motel stay, a pair of shoes without holes in them, a bicycle tire, or whatever it takes to keep someone safe and moving forward. The needs out here are real, and every one is different. This fund lets us say yes when others have to say no.

I’m grateful for Jason, who didn’t hesitate to bring this to the team, and for every donor who’s poured into the Love Thy Neighbor Fund. You’re the reason we could help Victor when he had nothing. You’re helping him start over, safe and secure, with a roof over his head and a future to chase after.

As we wrap up Live Week, let’s pray for Victor as he settles into his new home and begins to heal safely. Pray for his healing, his fresh start, and for God to keep showing up and guiding his path. Let’s also lift up KCB, our partners, and the Love Thy Neighbor Fund. Your support keeps this fund alive.. every donation, every prayer, every moment you show up makes stories like this possible..  and we’re always in need of donations to LTNF to keep standing in the gap.. so if you want to help neighbors like Victor, visit our giving page - here - and be sure to add “LTNF” or “Love Thy Neighbor Fund” in the giving comment or on your check note.

We appreciate you for reading.

Until next time…