When Lorena reflects on the last few years, one word comes to mind: hope.
After surviving domestic violence, facing a cancer diagnosis, and experiencing the heartbreaking separation of her family, she never stopped believing that one day they would all be together again under one roof.
Today, thanks to Acacia Heights, an affordable housing community in Phoenix developed by Housing for Hope, an affiliate of Catholic Charities Community Services, that dream has become a reality.
A Family Separated by Circumstances
In 2022, Lorena and her children lost their home because of domestic violence. The housing crisis forced the family to split up. Her daughter moved in with Lorena's brother, while Lorena and her two sons stayed with her parents.
Then, in October 2024, Lorena received another devastating blow—a serious cancer diagnosis.
As she shared with us, she gathered her family together and told them her greatest wish.
"I wanted to live under one roof with my children again."
That simple wish became her motivation to keep searching for a safe, affordable place to call home.
Finding Hope at Acacia Heights
Like so many families across Arizona, Lorena quickly discovered that affordable housing was difficult to find. Apartments were simply beyond her budget, especially in the neighborhood where her children could remain in their schools and maintain stability.
Then she learned about Acacia Heights.
After speaking with the leasing team, she submitted an application, hopeful but unsure whether it would work out, but it did.
During Thanksgiving weekend in 2024, Lorena and her children moved into their new home. "I cannot fully explain what that moment meant to us." For the first time in years, the family was together again.
More Than an Apartment
For many people, housing is simply a place to sleep. For Lorena, it became the foundation for rebuilding her family's life.
She describes the joy of waking up each morning with all of her children under one roof, cooking meals together, celebrating birthdays and Christmas, baking cakes, laughing, and creating new memories in a home that finally felt like theirs.
Her family's stability also created opportunities to celebrate remarkable milestones. Her daughter earned her bachelor's degree in social work and then completed her master's degree in just one year. Watching her children continue to grow together has become one of Lorena's greatest blessings.
The Healing Power of Stability
The stability of affordable housing affected more than Lorena's family life—it gave her the peace she needed to focus on her health. Instead of worrying each day about where her family would live or how they would afford rent, she could concentrate on her cancer treatments and spend meaningful time with her children.
Today, Lorena is grateful for the encouraging news. "My cancer is slowly disappearing, and I truly believe that having peace, stability, and the ability to be present with my children played a huge role in that healing journey." While every medical journey is unique, Lorena believes having a safe, stable home gave her family the opportunity to heal together.
Why Affordable Housing Matters
Lorena's story reflects the mission of Housing for Hope, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 to provide safe, beautiful, and affordable housing communities for families, seniors, and individuals throughout central Arizona.
With only a fraction of the affordable housing needed for low-income families, communities like Acacia Heights play a vital role in preventing homelessness and helping families build lasting stability.
As an affiliate of Catholic Charities Community Services, Housing for Hope also connects residents with supportive services that encourage long-term self-sufficiency, allowing families to do more than simply find housing—they can build brighter futures.
As Lorena puts it:
"For many people, housing may just seem like a building. But for families like mine, it becomes peace. It becomes stability. It becomes healing. It becomes hope."
Help More Families Find Hope
Every family deserves the chance to live in a safe, affordable home where they can heal, grow, and thrive.
Housing for Hope continues to develop affordable housing communities across Arizona because families like Lorena's are counting on that opportunity.
Whether through financial support, partnerships, or advocacy for affordable housing, you can help create more stories of hope—one family, one home, and one community at a time.
Learn more about Housing for Hope, explore ways to support its mission, or help create more affordable housing opportunities for Arizona families.
