Simonette and her daughter smile as they meet at St. Agnes with Vincentians Jack and Anne.
In November 2025, Simonette’s life changed in an instant. Her husband, a local mover, suffered a horrific accident. He broke multiple bones in his face and suffered a serious brain injury.
With her husband unable to work and requiring constant care, Simonette faced a difficult choice. She couldn’t leave her infant daughter with someone recovering from a brain injury, and she couldn’t find childcare for a child under two years old.
“When my husband had his accident, it was terrifying,” Simonette said. “I was so worried, and we just kept falling further behind on our bills because he couldn’t work, and I had to be there for our daughter.”
The bills piled up. Soon, the family received an eviction notice. Simonette, who has a degree in psychology and spent years helping others on crisis hotlines, was now the one in a crisis.
Simonette tried everything. She called the County and reached out to many charities. Most of the time, she only reached answering machines. She waited three months just to hear back from the County.
“I was so scared. I called numerous charities, and applied for help from the County,” Simonette said. “But it was frustrating.”
Finally, a nurse told her to call the Contra Costa Crisis Center. That call connected her to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County (SVdP). For the first time in months, a real person was on the other end of the line.
“It was nice to talk to a human, it felt like a real blessing,” Simonette remembered.
Simonette met with two Vincentians, named Anne and Jack, from SVdP’s St. Agnes Conference. Anne and Jack performed a home visit, meeting Simonette and her family in their home where they were most comfortable. They not only listened to Simonette’s story, but they also got to know her and her family.
“Anne and Jack were so caring and kind,” Simonette said. “We met and they helped me go through and understand all my paperwork and what we had to do. They were so nice and great with my daughter, she loves them.”
Anne and Jack, as is their goal as Vincentians, became friends with Simonette and her husband, and got to know them on a deeply personal level. They then started looking for ways they could help Simonette and her family.
Anne said, “Simonette worked so hard, and she has been such a joy to get to know. She is always so positive and has been such a light in my life to know. It was an honor to be able to help her family and I’m so proud of them.”
The family also met with Mike, an SVdP employee who administers a large County grant that SVdP has been awarded. Mike and Simonette’s husband realized they both grew up in Oakland. They shared stories about their lives that helped Simonette’s husband feel seen and understood.
“My husband has had a hard life,” Simonette said. “And meeting with Mike was very special for him. They both grew up in Oakland, and my husband said he had a lot of experiences he thought were unique to him, that Mike also had. It has really helped my husband open up and connect to other people.”
Because of your support, SVdP was able to help Simonette with rent. Anne and Jack also helped her find additional resources that are helping her with childcare and employment.
Simonette said before receiving help from SVdP, her husband did not really believe in God, or see the value in attending Church.
“My husband was never much of a believer,” Simonette said. “But ever since his accident, and seeing how kind and caring the people at SVdP have been, he’s really changed.”
Simonette said her husband has opened up more, and takes more interest in her beliefs and faith. Simonette also said at her husband’s insistence, they have started looking for a local Catholic Church, with a Spanish Mass, to baptize their daughter.
Today, the family is thriving. Simonette’s husband is back at work. Simonette is starting a new internship and her daughter is starting preschool this May.
Jack was impressed by Simonette’s strength. “As Vincentians, we like to say we don’t give people a hand-out, but a hand-up. And I really feel like Simonette’s family will not only be ok but do better than they were.”
For Simonette, the help from SVdP was the bridge her family needed to get through a dark time.
“SVdP has been a blessing,” Simonette said. “I cannot express how grateful I am for the help my family has received. It was so scary to think we would be homeless, but we’re doing so much better today. I’m just so thankful.”
