MOST RECENT UPDATE: MAY 18 2026

Hey everyone! We’ve gotten Alvaro and his family through the worst of it so far, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported them along the way. Identify theft has largely been resolved (shred your documents folks, identify theft is no joke especially when now adding AI into the mix, it can be a costly mistake)

While we were hoping to have the family in a permanent apartment by now, there are still a few obstacles left. Alvaro’s daughter is currently dealing with health issues, and prescribed medication was only partially covered by insurance (....nothing like insurance companies not covering medication eh....we've all dealt with them)

Many of us take for granted how hard it is to overcome setbacks without stable housing. We may be stressed out about finances or certain life events, but we have a home to go back to to cope and relax if needed. When a family doesn’t yet have a permanent place to live, one problem can quickly lead to another VERY RAPIDLY (if your kid is sick and you don't have a home, you have no choice but to watch them, making income quite limited, thus failing to meet apartment requirements and racking up expenses). Recovery and getting out of homelessness as a family of five is not a linear path, but they are making real progress.

We’re asking for continued support to help keep them stable through this final stretch and give them the chance to fully get back on their feet. Donations of any size are welcome. The last couple gaps are just meeting the income requirements for an apartment because landlord requirements are pretty strict and not an easy thing to meet when dealing with homelessness on top of that. We are hoping they get a place before the heat picks up this summer in Los Angeles, it is supposed to be a very hot El Nino this summer.

Thank you all again for helping carry them this far. We will continue to post more updates as they come. Please feel free to share the story with anyone you are willing to share it with.

UPDATE: APRIL 2026

Hey everyone,

It’s been a while since I last posted an update on GoFundMe, and I wanted to reach out with some news on Alvaro and his family to both previous donors and future ones.

Thanks to over 70 congregations and counting of multiple denominations including Unitarian Universalist, Episcopal and Presbyterian Churches in California, Oregon, Hawaii, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, Mississippi, Virginia, Maryland, New York and Massachusetts, Alvaro has made it through the absolute worst and darkest time of a devastating ordeal that began in November when his Social Security Number was stolen. This identity theft, combined with homelessness, prevented him from securing work and disrupted his Medicaid, leaving his family in a dire situation. After months of battling bureaucracy, traveling back and forth between agencies and locations (between downtown LA and Bakersfield where is identify was stolen), and facing numerous setbacks, Alvaro has cleared his name with USCIS—a major victory.

In January, we shifted the bulk of our fundraising over to Faithify.org which is a crowdfunding platform ran by the Unitarian Universalist Association, though we still kept GoFundMe active this entire time for people who wanted to donate that way. So far, between the two platforms collectively, we’ve raised $9,200, which has been essential in getting a family of five through these dire tough five months. Alvaro’s children have remained resilient—one of them even got accepted into a gifted magnet school, despite the hardships. Local catholic churches have also assisted Alvaro and his family with groceries which is amazing!

One major setback, they’re still not eligible for food stamps (Calfresh) or Section 8 housing due to the public charge rule and the new ways public benefits are now calculated (and yes it has changed a great deal compared to previous times), Alvaro’s family remains in temporary hotel accommodations. The most immediate need now is funding for a month or so of hotel stays, which will help them stabilize long enough to secure permanent employment and housing. He has a couple of job interviews lined up and his wife is now working which is great, and as a major plus we now have a minister willing to pay first month rent and a non profit willing to help with deposit respectively once they get approved for a place, but it is all contingent on having stable income for the next 30 days, and to do that they need a temporary housing. 211 hasn't been reliable and public homeless shelters are unsafe for the kids, so we're strictly relying on hotels for the time being. We’ve raised about 70% of our initial goal on Faithify and that campaign has since now ended, so the final phase of fundraising is now on GoFundMe.

We are open accepting donations in any amount, but aim for the $25-$75 range so people don't break the bank (things are getting expensive these days...) and to expand our reach of potential donors who can help in smaller donation sizes. Hotels in this area are on average $700 a week, so 14 donations of $50 per week goes a long way! We are open to any donation amount however big or small.

Thank you so much for your generosity and support throughout this journey.

Best,

Maxwell Ward

INITIAL UPDATE - DECEMBER 2025

Shoutout to Rev. Chloe and the Emerson UU staff who have been absolutely incredible in helping us spread the word! And to all who have donated so far and spread the word, we cannot thank you guys enough!

My friend Alvaro is a devoted dad raising three wonderful kids, but right now, they’re facing some of the toughest challenges of their lives. Alvaro suffers from extremely bad asthma, and through no fault of his own, he’s become the victim of ongoing identity theft. This has completely upended his life—he can’t apply for jobs, get a loan, or even access his medical insurance and food stamps. As a result, Alvaro and his children are currently without a permanent place to live, and every day is a struggle to meet their most basic needs.

Despite these hardships, Alvaro remains determined to provide for his kids and work toward a better future. He dreams of applying for naturalization soon, but first, he needs to resolve the identity theft and get his family back on their feet. The funds raised here will go directly toward buying the inhalers he needs to manage his asthma, purchasing food until their aid is restored, covering gas and hotel stays, and ultimately securing a permanent stable place to live.

I’m asking for help for my friend Alvaro, a homeless dad of three kids dealing with really bad identity theft and left with no health insurance or food aid in the meantime. Any support you can give—whether it’s a donation or simply sharing this fundraiser—would mean the world to Alvaro and his family. Thank you for caring and for being part of their journey to a brighter future.