Gary struggled to find an affordable and stable place to live while pursuing higher education. A working student with the goal of becoming an emergency medical technician, he said the high cost of his housing and education left him facing a difficult choice: continue pursuing his education or secure stable housing.  

“When I found HopeLink, I was actually living out of my car,” Gary said. “I either had enough money to go to school or enough money to live in a stable environment. So, I chose to go all-in on school.”

With the support of HopeLink of Southern Nevada, Gary was able to move out of his car and into safe, stable housing, addressing what he described as his greatest vulnerability: housing. The stability enabled him to complete his emergency medical technician (EMT) school, graduate as valedictorian of an advanced EMT program and begin paramedic training. Today, Gary works as a first responder for a local ambulance company.

“A year ago, I was thinking, ‘Where am I going to sleep tonight?’” Gary said. “Now, I’m learning advanced medical techniques, doing clinical ride-alongs and responding to 911 calls. It’s incredible.”

For Gary, stable housing provided the foundation he needed to focus on his education, complete his training, and build a career helping others. His journey reflects HopeLink’s approach to addressing immediate housing needs while creating pathways to employment and long-term self-sufficiency.

Overcoming Housing Instability

Gary’s situation is far too common. According to the Southern Nevada Homelessness Continuum of Care’s 2026 Point-in-Time Count, nearly 9,000 people are living unhoused on any given night in Clark County, Nevada. Many others face less visible forms of housing instability, including struggling with job loss, facing eviction, and living temporarily with friends or relatives.

Mary, a single mother of two daughters, spent months moving from shelter to shelter while seeking stability for her family.

“I was working, but it was hard to get a place,” Mary said. “Once I lost my vehicle, that’s when I lost my job, lost my place...”

Mary found the stability she needed after being referred to HopeLink.

“HopeLink was good for me because I was able to get back to work, do my schooling like I wanted to, and put my girls in the same school,” Mary said. “HopeLink gave me the freedom to get back on my feet instead of just adding more stress.”

Building Capacity

As one of Southern Nevada's largest providers of permanent supportive housing and emergency shelter, HopeLink serves individuals, families, and seniors experiencing homelessness, facing eviction, or navigating other unstable living situations. Recognizing that housing and employment go hand in hand, the nonprofit's CareerLink program provides career coaching, job-placement assistance and ongoing support to help clients achieve long-term financial independence and housing stability.

A 2024 AHEAD Program grant for $94,422 awarded by FHLBank San Francisco through Toyota Financial Savings Bank helped HopeLink hire an employment specialist and provide food, transportation and work clothing for people in need. The grant funding expanded HopeLink’s capacity and increased CareerLink enrollment by more than 150%, from about 120 participants to just over 300 by the following year. 

“Housing and employment are married in the work that we do,” said Ryan Henson, HopeLink's chief development officer. “You cannot maintain one without the other.” 

Community Partnerships

James Schofield, president of Toyota Financial Savings Bank, a FHLBank San Francisco member financial institution, said his bank believes economic opportunity is one of the most effective ways to create long-term financial stability, and HopeLink of Southern Nevada has proven to be effective in helping people overcome barriers to self-sufficiency.

“This program focuses on employment, workforce readiness and income growth, all of which can create lasting outcomes for individuals and families,” he said. “We are very proud to support this initiative.”

For Aaron Sheets, chief executive officer of HopeLink of Southern Nevada, the organization’s mission comes down to six words: “Prevent homelessness, preserve families, provide hope.”

“We are in the business of providing hope,” he said.

Sheets explained that HopeLink focuses on reaching people before they reach a crisis point, when timely support can more efficiently stabilize a household and prevent a cascade of challenges that may ultimately lead to homelessness.

“We really work on moving those services up earlier, and getting (our clients) what they need in order to survive and thrive on their own. Self-sufficiency is really what our goal is. And we work towards getting jobs, things they need to get to work, the skills they need in order to get a job, as well as housing, and food, basic needs. Without housing we can’t do anything.”

For Gary and Mary, HopeLink provided the stable housing and support they needed to move forward. As Mary said, “I knew it was going to get better. I didn’t know how, but I knew it was going to get better.”

Decades of Community Impact

Since launching the AHEAD Program in 2004, FHLBank San Francisco has awarded more than $50 million to support over 1,000 community development projects across Arizona, California and Nevada.

Learn more about FHLBank San Francisco's AHEAD Program at fhlbsf.com.