BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A homeless veteran's Christmas was made this afternoon as several organizations came together to give her and her young children a new home.
"I'm just so worried about putting a roof over our head. I'm always working, like, three jobs and I'm still struggling," said Robin Silva, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Silva served 9 years ago, but ever since, she says she's struggled to have a roof over her family's head. She most recently lived in a motel with her three young children.
"I had asked 'do you have a Christmas tree?' and she sent me a picture of a lamp in a hotel room that they had decorated to be their Christmas tree," said Lili Marsh, who works with local veterans.
After seeing the makeshift Christmas tree, Marsh knew the community could come together to help the Silva family have a merry Christmas. After a few texts were sent, Monday's move-in day was put in motion, complete with a new home, furniture, Christmas presents, and a nice big Christmas tree.
"I've never been able to afford any furniture and this is more than a blessing. They have a couch! Everything," Silva said.
The home was already being provided by the California Veteran's Assistance Foundation. The rest was either donated or arranged by Kern County CityServe, Urners, Furniture City, the Mission at Kern County, Representative Kevin McCarthy and his wife Judy, State Senator Shannon Grove, and Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh.
Silva is from North Carolina and says she's had a tough time keeping jobs because she has to stay home with her kids.
"I've been carrying them with me from the east coast to the west coast with no baby sitter, and I keep losing jobs, I keep being homeless, going through the homeless shelter," she said.
Thankfully this Christmas, being homeless will be the least of her family's worries.
"They're really good kids and we don't have a normal family so I try really hard for them, like this is like, thank you god, this is why im alive," Silva said.
