Wherever Bronx resident Cecelia first turned for help when she couldn't meet her rent, "a door slammed in my face." Her case is typical of someone whose unexpected health issues lead to a housing crisis.

Cecelia, who is 54 and lives alone, was on the brink of eviction after she had an operation last year. A home care attendant, she wasn't able to work for two months. Workman's Compensation was denied because the agency said her surgery was not work-related.  She was able to collect a small amount from Disability Insurance, but it wasn't enough to make ends meet. "I started to fall behind in all of my bills including rent," she said.  "My lights were due to be turned off." She was hurt and upset. "I have worked hard all my life and never asked anybody for anything."

Desperate for help, Cecelia decided to try the social service and community program system. "One by one, each agency turned me down," she said. "They all denied me for one reason or another. I kept getting referrals, but when I called them, a lot of them never even called me back."

Finally, the management company of her building gave her the name of The Bridge Fund.  Caseworkers reviewed her case and provided immediate help to bring the rent up-to-date. "I felt like the weight of the world was off of me," Cecelia said. "I am now back to work and paying back my loan. There is no way I can ever thank The Bridge Fund enough for what they did to help me.”