CLIENT SUCCESS: Trini

Born in Puerto Rico in 1953, Trini Rodriguez moved to Jersey City, NJ, when she was 4 years old where she grew up with her family. In January 1999, Trini became very ill, and she was placed on disability due to advanced HIV. Trini wanted to move from the harsh cold of New Jersey to the warmer, sunnier climate in southern California. After lengthy planning, Trini arrived in LA in January 2001, but she discovered all too late that her planned living situation would not be supportive of her health needs. Trini sought assistance from a local AIDS service organization and was then referred to Project New Hope (PNH) for housing and job training.
"A lot of times people think that if you live in supportive housing you must have been displaced because of drugs or whatever. But in truth, for some of us, it is because of life circumstances complicated by HIV. Housing is first -- it needs to be the priority. Without it, you don't have anywhere to put your meds!" explained Trini about her desperate plight upon arriving in LA. In June of 2002 PNH placed Trini in the PNH Hoover Apartments. "PNH takes care of the apartments. I am impressed with the way they keep the facilities clean, and how they have community rooms, and all that special stuff; you just don't get that anywhere."
Trini completed a Bachelor's degree in English at the Jersey City State College, as well as completed three years towards a Masters degree in linguistics from Rutgers. Today, Trini is eager to return to school to earn a Masters in Social Work, perhaps from UCLA. Moving towards her goal, in August 2003, Trini graduated from the Project New Hope Computer Learning Course. "I needed to learn computer skills, which I never had, so that I can return to work and eventually back to school. [PNH] Learning Center has been really flexible and supportive of my problems. If I have a doctors appointment or need to travel for family, PNH is really understanding of my situation."
In March 2003, Trini took guardianship of her seven-year old granddaughter, Saeeda, living in Delaware. PNH was immediately responsive, providing Trini in April 2003 a two-bedroom residence at the Rick Weiss New Hope Apartments in Santa Monica, where Saeeda now attends a local grade school. "The whole bureaucracy is just not there at Project New Hope -- it is an open door policy. It is a grassroots, down-home feeling. There is a sense of security for me here. I don't have to hide my HIV status. If I get sick or have to go into hospital, it's cool. I don't have to go through any explanations. I don't have to be threatened by my landlord. It really has given me 'New Hope.' Those who support PNH need to know that they are helping to fund something really special."