Couple with newborn rebuilds their lives with the help of Albuquerque Community Safety
Nov 14, 2024
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An unhoused couple with a newborn is rebuilding their lives with the help of Albuquerque Community Safety.
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In July, Paul and Cassie Nieto were homeless and expecting a baby, now they have stable housing, employment, and a two-month-old. "It means a lot to us. It keeps my family happy that we're not struggling anymore, and we got the help that we got, and we're thankful for that,” said Paul Nieto.
The Nietos were struggling to pay rent in Raton so they moved to Albuquerque for a job opportunity with just a hundred dollars, going from hotel to hotel. That's when they met Albuquerque Community Safety’s Street Outreach Navigator Angela Tello.
"I'm a CPSW so I'm a certified peer support worker, and I have the lived experience I once was that addict on the streets and that unhoused person. So, for myself, I have a different compassion for it and a different understanding for the people in need," said Tello.
Tello helped them secure job interviews, provided rides to work, and helped them find a spot at the family gateway, a housing resource. The one-on-one work, although short-term, created a long-lasting bond. "It's different because when I was growing up, I never really had support through anything. So, to have somebody there that's actually on your side too, it's a different feeling,” said Cassie Nieto
“It’s a different blessing. And instead of having family helping you out you have someone else. So at least they’re trying to help you, get back on your feet,” said Paul Nieto.
Tello said it's been rewarding to see the couple grow throughout the process and with the assistance of ACS and family gateway, the Nietos moved into Sandia Village, an affordable housing complex. “And from there, I just keep going to work and just take care of my family and try to do the best that I can for my family,” said Paul Nieto.
When asked what their baby’s name is, Paul Nieto proudly responded, "his name is Paul just like his dad.”
ACS Street Outreach Navigators help people with job applications, housing programs, or even something as fundamental as setting up a bank account. For more information on ACS resources, click here.