Right now, the families we serve are facing a perfect storm.

SNAP benefits are no longer on hold, but a gap in food access for families remains. Federal funding cuts are threatening the most vulnerable members of our community—low-income families, BIPOC communities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and immigrant newcomers. The same families already teetering on the edge of homelessness are being pushed further into crisis.

When communities feel targeted and unsafe, anxiety, stress, and trauma intensify. At HCN, we're seeing this firsthand. Demand for our services is growing even as public funding diminishes. Parents are reaching out desperate for help. Children are struggling with behaviors rooted in trauma they've never had the chance to process. Youth are fighting discrimination in classrooms where they should feel safe.

But here’s what you need to know: transformation takes time.

A child who has experienced homelessness, witnessed domestic violence, or carried the weight of intergenerational trauma doesn't heal in a single session. Healing requires a therapist who shows up week after week. Someone who looks like them, understands their cultural experience, and creates a safe space where they can finally exhale.

Consider a teen who came to our Ma'at Program struggling with low self-esteem and constant conflict with her mom. Through three years of culturally affirming therapy, she and her mother learned to communicate, to understand each other's needs, and to break reactive patterns. Today, that isolated teen has blossomed into a resilient young woman who advocates for herself and her future.

Three years. That's what real healing requires. And that's only possible because of your sustained support.

You have the power to break cycles.

For over 30 years, HCN has been the constant in the lives of San Francisco's most vulnerable families. While they move from shelter to shelter, from crisis to crisis, we remain a steady thread of connection and care.

We meet families on park benches and in shelters. We show up at their schools and in their homes. We bring culturally affirming therapists who see, hear, and understand their lived experiences. And we stay as long as it takes.

Here's what your commitment makes possible:

• essential wrap-around support for food resources, housing assistance, and crisis intervention that families need to stay stable while focusing on healing.
• therapy sessions where a child learns to regulate their emotions, communicate their needs, and believe in their own worth.
• comprehensive family services: individual therapy for children, support groups for parents, and case management that addresses everything from food insecurity to school advocacy.

Your gift helps us reach 2,500+ children, youth, and families across San Francisco with services they receive at absolutely no cost.

For more information, please visit hcnkids.org/support.