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HL and her husband had been working tirelessly for years, narrowly making ends meet on a steady but limited income.
Both Vietnamese immigrants, without children or a broader support system, they had built a life together—but their living conditions were far from ideal. They longed for a safer, more stable, more dignified place to call home.
A friend introduced HL (identified by a pseudonym to protect her identity) to SEADC in 2018. At first, she just came for an ESL class. She soon started working with our Service Navigation team to find a new job, with the goal of affording a better place to live.
In 2018, HL got hired at Goodwill. In late 2024, she and her husband finally received life-changing news: they were approved for a long-term affordable apartment through the San Francisco Dalia Housing lottery program.
They got the apartment they wanted!
“I learned English. I can apply to housing by myself, with the training. I got skills for life, for American life.”
This process was far from quick. It required patience, persistence, and careful attention to detail. Together, HL and SEADC navigated every stage, from gathering documentation to managing long periods of uncertainty and waiting.
“We received a lot of support from the Center,” says HL (with the help of one of our bilingual program specialists). “I learned English. I can apply to housing by myself, with the training. I got skills for life, for American life.”
HL and her husband now live in a beautiful apartment in a modern, well-maintained building, just 10 minutes’ walk from HL’s workplace. It is a clean, safe, and welcoming home. Their joy and pride are profound.
What’s next for HL? She hasn’t ruled out finding even better housing, and she feels ready to confront the challenge herself—and she knows we are always standing by to help! But her priority is to return to the first challenge that brought her to SEADC: improving her English. She proudly shows off her progress on the Duolingo language-learning app, free through her employer.
HL’s story is a reminder: stability changes lives. For many Southeast Asian immigrant families in San Francisco, SEADC is the bridge to that stability.
Your gift makes this possible. Every class, every counseling session, every housing application and bilingual staff member—your support builds the bridge. This holiday season, you can help another family like HL’s find safety, stability, and a future they can call their own.
Please make a tax-deductible gift today. Join us in our mission to foster a healthy, thriving and self-sufficient Southeast Asian American community!
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