Sharing Stories

Season of Sharing Fund gave some peace of mind to retired nonprofit leader Marlus Stewart. Asking for help wasn't supposed to be part of Stewart's story. She was the helper. But in 2019, the unimaginable happened. Stewart's son, her only child, died of suicide at age 50. The grief was unbearable and struggling with health issues, she "lost everything." She had been living in her car off and on for about six months when she connected with Season of Sharing through Catholic Charities. Season of Sharing Fund helped paid her deposit after she won a housing lottery in Sonoma. Now, she and her dog Mercedes Marie have a place to call home. If you want to hear more profiles of help and hope, or if you want to find out how you can help neighbors in crisis, go to SeasonofSharing.org/podcast.

Season of Sharing Fund gave some peace of mind to aspiring boxing champ Keoni Washington, who became parent and breadwinner to his brothers after their mother passed away early in the pandemic. We meet him at the East Bay apartment he shares with three of his brothers. Keoni received rental assistance from Season of Sharing Fund in 2023, which has allowed him and his brothers to stay in their home. If you want to hear more profiles of help and hope, or if you want to find out how you can help neighbors in crisis, go to SeasonofSharing.org/podcast.

Over the course of this series, we are going to introduce you to a few of the folks who've recently received one-time support from Season of Sharing Fund — and a couple of the people who help make it happen.

If you want to hear more profiles of help and hope, or if you want to find out how you can help neighbors in crisis, go to SeasonofSharing.org/podcast.

Did you know that one in four people in the United States have less than $1000 in savings? What this means is that many of our neighbors are one crisis away — a car accident, a sick pet, a health emergency, you name it — from falling behind and having to choose between rent and necessities like food and medicine.

Thanks to our donors and partner agencies, since 1986, Season of Sharing Fund has been able to provide some peace of mind to more than 185,000 people in the Bay Area. The fund has been there for individuals and families when a month or two of rent made the difference between staying in their home and becoming unhoused.