Approaching the front door of her new apartment last week, Kioka Hampton felt excited, but also nervous – this would be the very first time the 38-year-old mother would have her own place to call home.
She also felt immense gratitude because a team of supporters at Holliday’s Helping Hands (HHH) – a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides housing and wraparound services for unhoused individuals and families – helped make this moment a reality by securing the apartment for Hampton and her 2-year-old daughter, Paris, just in time for the new year.
As she entered the one-bedroom unit in North Hollywood, Hampton expected a quick tour of an empty apartment, and planned to make a list of all the things she would need before moving in a few days before New Year’s Eve.
Instead, she was elated to walk into a fully-furnished home, complete with gifts for both Hampton and Paris. HHH staff members greeted Hampton, who received a warm embrace from Katina Holliday, founder of HHH, which provided the unexpected furniture, a stove, a refrigerator filled with food and toys for Paris.
“It was such a big surprise. Everything they’ve done has been so helpful and such a blessing,” said a tearful Hampton, who had been living out of her car with Paris just over a year ago. “I’m so joyful and grateful; I’m thankful to God for helping us through [HHH]. This is a fresh start.”
“When we surprise our clients, words really do fall short,” said Holliday. “In that moment, you’re not just giving something; you’re witnessing hope return to someone who thought it had passed them by. It’s … humbling and holy, all at once. You see disbelief turn into tears, and in that moment, you realize how long it’s been since someone showed up just for them.”
Hampton connected with HHH a year ago. The organization provided interim housing for the mother and daughter, and Hampton has participated in life skills classes, including parenting and money management, and enrolled in HHH’s 12-week certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.
“As Katina says, ‘It’s a hand up, not a hand out,’ and we have to do our part,” said Hampton. “I’m so appreciative and I’m going to keep showing my appreciation by working hard. I’m going to keep fighting, ignore the negative stuff and focus on the positive, [including] my daughter.”
Holliday praised Hampton’s dedication to the HHH classes and to finishing the CNA program.
“Her determination to continue, no matter what, was [evident],” said Holliday. “The baby, Paris, is deserving of this opportunity … and so is her mom, Kioka.”
A Challenging Journey
Hampton had been living with her parents and brother in her grandmother’s home in Harbor City when her grandmother passed away five years ago. After her death, they had trouble keeping up with the mortgage payments and eventually lost the home. Hampton and the rest of her family ended up homeless on and off over the next several years.
“Everything just went from bad to worse,” she recalled.
In 2021, Hampton experienced the emotional and physical trauma of being raped, and later the added challenge of becoming a single mother in 2023. Up until then, Hampton had never worked full time, supported herself or lived on her own, and she found it increasingly challenging to find and keep a steady job, especially as the sole caretaker of her then-infant daughter.
While visiting her dad in the hospital, Hampton met a social worker from PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) who told her about HHH. After reaching out to them, HHH helped get Hampton and her baby out of her car and into temporary housing. By taking part in HHH classes, Hampton strengthened her parenting skills, self-esteem and her desire for a brighter future.
Hampton is currently gaining hands-on experience at a local senior living facility as part of the CNA program. She hopes to pass the state exam to earn her CNA license in the new year, and then plans to secure her first CNA job to provide “a safe and stable home” for her daughter.
“I’ve never done this before, [but] I’m a survivor and I’m going to keep going on the right path,” said Hampton. “We all need help sometimes, and there are a lot of people out there who are still struggling. I hope they can come to a place like HHH, so they can get help and be blessed, too.
“I pray that many more people will change their lives and tell their stories, too,” she added.
Launched in 2018, HHH has 13 interim housing facilities with 500 beds for individuals and families. They offer workforce development, including the CNA program, landscaping, maintenance, culinary arts and other job training opportunities. In addition, HHH runs a thrift store, where clients can learn customer service skills, such as running a cash register.
HHH also offers case management services and has on-site therapists. They have nurses on staff to assist with medication management and health monitoring, provide drivers to take clients to appointments, offer help with resume writing and other life skills, and provide three meals a day.
“We say a hand out is charity, but a hand up means I see you, I believe in you – and we’re going to believe in you until you can walk again, until you believe in yourself,” said Holliday. “Those are the things that we embody.
“Love still has the power to heal what the world [has] tried to harden,” she continued. “When love shows up, it can change everything.”
For more information about Holliday’s Helping Hands, go to: www.hollidayshh.org, www.instagram.com/hollidayshelpinghands or www.facebook.com/HollidaysHH.