Season of Sharing Fund gave some peace of mind — and dignity — to widower Michael Sharpe as he coped with the death of his wife. A couple of years after his wife Kimberly died, Michael Sharpe still keeps her clothes in the drawers and closets of his small Novato apartment.

When Kimberly was first got diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2020, she was still able to manage her small business. Her cancer went into remission, but over the next year, the business suffered, losing a significant client. By the time Kimberly died, in October 2022, Sharpe was behind on rent.

That's where social service agency Community Action Marin and the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund came in.

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SHARING STORIES is a new a series of portraits of people in the Bay Area who have received one-time emergency rental assistance that I working on with the SF Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund.

Rental assistance programs like Season of Sharing Fund are there for people when a month or two of rent can make the difference between staying in their home or becoming unhoused. Ultimately, rental assistance programs help prevent homelessness.

If you or someone you know has experienced an unforeseen crisis and could benefit from one-time financial assistance from the Season of Sharing Fund, learn how to apply.

If you want to hear stories from people who benefited from this safety net, subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks for listening. And have a safe and happy holiday.