December 25th, 2016

Rams' Tavon Austin, Robert Quinn bring holiday joy to single mother of six

LOS ANGELES -- Tavon Austin thought about his mother on Wednesday afternoon. He always does, but on this day it was different.

rams.jpg

Rebecca Carter and her six children, shown with the Rams' Tavon Austin and Robert Quinn, are living under one roof for the first time. (Photo: Ric Tapia/Rams)

The Rams wide receiver was standing inside a four-bedroom apartment in a neighborhood called Sun Valley, nestled in the northwest section of Los Angeles. Austin and teammate Robert Quinn had spent more than $20,000 from their own bank accounts to furnish this place for a single mother named Rebecca Carter who had just been reunited with her six young children and was doing her best to put six years of periodic homelessness behind her.

Carter walked in, and her eyes lit up -- and Austin thought back to Baltimore, and Cathy Green, and all the odd jobs she worked to provide for four children, and the drive Austin felt to someday pay her back for it all.

"My mom was pretty young, and she did what she could do," Austin said. "We had six people in the house [his grandmother lived there, too], so I know how this feels. It put the drive in me to get to where I want to today. That’s how I looked at it, that’s how I approached it and that’s how I took it. Hopefully one of them little boys in there take it the same way that I took it. 'I’m going to get Mommy out of here. I’m going to get us out of here.' That’s what I did."

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May 9th, 2016

Dave Curry, right, visits his friend Russell Badgwell in Tujunga Wash, the place he used to call home. Curry received a Section 8 voucher from LA Family Housing and now lives in an apartment. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Dave Curry, right, visits his friend Russell Badgwell in Tujunga Wash, the place he used to call home. Curry received a Section 8 voucher from LA Family Housing and now lives in an apartment. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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July 5th, 2016

A heavy equipment operator demolishes the former Fiesta Motel in North Hollywood on Thursday. The motel served for 30 years as housing for some of the San Fernando Valley's homeless. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

A heavy equipment operator demolishes the former Fiesta Motel in North Hollywood on Thursday. The motel served for 30 years as housing for some of the San Fernando Valley's homeless. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

June 9th, 2016

THE CAMPUS AT LAFH

THE CAMPUS AT LAFH

February 16th, 2016

Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president of L.A. Family Housing, says she’s “beyond excited” over the project. David Crane - Staff Photographer

Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president of L.A. Family Housing, says she’s “beyond excited” over the project. David Crane - Staff Photographer

LAFH...ON THE AIR

LAFH resident tells her story on KCET's SoCal Connected 4-24-2010
A few minutes of questions with the CEO of LA Family Housing, Stephanie Klasky-Gamer at the newly finished Day Street Apartment building in Tujunga, CA. (http://www.lafh.org/) STNC... Improving the Quality of Life in Sunland-Tujunga! Join the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council for public meetings every 2nd Wednesday of the month. North Valley Neighborhood City Hall 7747 Foothill Blvd, Tujunga, CA. Phone: 818-951-7411 Refreshments before, meetings begin at 7 pm Get Involved and Share your voice! http://www.stnc.org STNC Info at Empower LA! http://empowerla.org/stnc Join us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/SunlandTujungaNC
Zac Efron describes how L.A. Family Housing helps move families off of the streets of Los Angeles and into housing stability. More info at www.lafh.org.