Sasha Rojo is one of the applicants selected for the Moving Our Community Program. She was planning to move because her landlord was selling the place where she was living, but pandemic-related circumstances delayed the move and inability to secure a new location to move to for her entire family. She and her fiancé are new parents of a daughter born a few months ago. This is Sasha’s story.
We intended to move on July 29. We thought we may be evicted and would stay through the legal process, hoping the Governor would give us more time because of the eviction moratorium, considering the majority of the Nevada population has yet to receive benefits from unemployment. So, we just waited, hoping and praying that something would come through. That’s all we could do.
We ended up receiving a surprise 24-hour eviction notice on Aug. 19. Needless to say, we were shocked because we thought we had more time with the eviction moratorium. Though we didn’t have a place/home to move to, Move 4 Less came to our rescue and was able to move our items into their storage unit with last-minute notice. We thank them for their help at our darkest hour. The moving staff was spectacular! I remember the employees, Drew, and his partner very well…VERY professional, fast, and efficient. Superstars is an understatement. I’m sure they only make consumers value Move 4 Less that much more. We’ve been hit harder by Covid-19 more than any other family I know personally. My fiancé and I are still hopelessly awaiting our Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. Each week we hope and pray it comes but never does. The only feedback we received is that we have to wait an additional 30 days each time I submit more proof of the past income they are asking for. It’s discouraging and frustrating, to say the least.
We scraped a little money together to afford a hotel for a few nights. I wish there were more resources that could help keep us off the streets. We lost our condo Aug. 19 My baby girl is being taken care of by relatives. She is now 6 months old, born during the pandemic. There’s no way she could have been in our care in the triple digits of the summer heat.
After leaving the hotel, we had to find shelter in a storage unit that was once ours, in our old community’s laundry room. We still have the keys, so we have to hide during the laundry room closing hours while it’s locked up from 7:30 pm to 6 am. It’s not ideal, but it’s safe and we’re not suffering from the elements, although having a bit of shelter is not going to last long. It just takes one time to be caught for trespassing. We are VERY nervous at the thought. But we literally have no options. Figuring out where to eat, shower, and sleep daily is straining.
I’ve been hesitant to share my story because I feel there is no happy ending at times. The embarrassment aside, all we have is our faith and hope that things will get better. If there’s anything I can ask for, it would be just a roof over my family’s head. But in a more realistic sense, Wal-Mart gift cards and phone cards (to keep our phones on) would be a huge help. It’s difficult getting the essentials.
We’ve been sticking together. Stress and disparities can quickly tear family’s apart. We’ve been together 10 years, and it tests us just the same. From what we’ve been dealing with, I can only hope something happens for my family. I can’t imagine living like this through the upcoming holiday seasons.
I would like to say to Move 4 Less that I’m truly thankful and humbled for this opportunity. You couldn’t have chosen a family more in need. We still are struggling up until this point. Nothing has changed, but we hope and pray each day. However, knowing that our possessions will be safe and having help to move when we find a place is definitely the biggest help we could have ever asked for. Move 4 Less has restored my faith in my community– that people truly do care and that there are people out there to give a helping hand when you’re truly down and out on your luck.
When I received the call from Move 4 Less, I was in disbelief. Tears came to my eyes. I couldn’t believe how lucky we were and how blessed my family was. It was the bright light I was desperate for in this dark time. My family thanks Move 4 Less for being so generous.
——————————————————————————————————————
The COVID-19 virus has triggered economic hardship throughout the Las Vegas community with many people struggling to pay their mortgage or rent, and evictions are looming. To help ease their financial burden, Move 4 Less created the Moving Our Community program where Avi Cohen and Moti Perez, co-owners of the family-owned Las Vegas-based moving company, are paying for moving services and/or storage for five local families who have to move from their current residence due to COVID-19-related circumstances.
The families selected by Move 4 Less for the Moving Our Community program were based on applications submitted earlier this summer. Some of the moves have been delayed due to the families trying to find places they can afford and/or qualify for, given they may still be out of work. Move 4 Less continues to participate in a wide range of community activities throughout the Las Vegas Valley. The company has always had the heart to give back where they can. Currently, they are offering their trucks and moving staff to help move essential items throughout the valley. To learn more about their community involvement, visit https://www.move4lessnevada.com/las-vegas-moving-company/.
For more information about Move 4 Less, Visit https://www.move4lessnevada.com/ or call 702-381-1200.
