Season of Sharing Fund gave some peace of mind to aspiring boxing champ Keoni Washington, who became parent and breadwinner to his brothers after their mother passed away early in the pandemic. We meet him at the East Bay apartment he shares with three of his brothers. Keoni received rental assistance from Season of Sharing Fund in 2023, which has allowed him and his brothers to stay in their home. SHARING STORIES is a new a series of portraits of people in the Bay Area who have received one-time emergency rental assistance that I working on with the SF Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund.

Rental assistance programs like Season of Sharing Fund are there for people when a month or two of rent can make the difference between staying in their home or becoming unhoused. Ultimately, rental assistance programs help prevent homelessness.

If you or someone you know has experienced an unforeseen crisis and could benefit from one-time financial assistance from the Season of Sharing Fund, learn how to apply.

If you want to hear stories from people who benefited from this safety net, subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks for listening. And have a safe and happy holiday.

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NOTE TO PODCASTERS: SHARING STORIES is part of a national public service campaign to raise awareness of rental assistance programs. It encourages podcasters to share an episode of this series (or the trailer) with their listeners. If you are interested in joining the campaign, just reach out to dboyer AT yoideaman DOT com.

SHARING STORIES: Meet Keoni Washington