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INFLATION, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE STRUGGLING TO COVER THE BASICS. ACCORDING TO A BANKRATE SURVEY, 69% OF PEOPLE ARE SOMEWHAT OR VERY WORRIED THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO COVER LIVING EXPENSES OVER THE NEXT MONTH IF THEY WERE TO LOSE THEIR MAIN INCOME TOMORROW. OUR CORRESPONDENT DINA DEMETRIUS INTRODUCES US TO A LOS ANGELES COUNTY FAMILY WHO DISCOVERED JUST HOW FINE THE LINE CAN BE BETWEEN A SEEMINGLY STABLE LIFE AND HOMELESSNESS. FOR ANDREW AND JACKIE HERRERA AND THEIR FIVE YOUNG CHILDREN, THIS FAMILY SHELTER IS A WORLD AWAY FROM THEIR BELOVED HOME IN BAKERSFIELD. HAD A FOUR BEDROOM HOME IN THE NICE AREA, A NICE BIG HOME, NICE YARD. I WAS A CLASS A TRUCK DRIVER THERE. EVENTUALLY THEY CUT MY HOURS BACK SO FAR DEEP WHERE THEY JUST DECIDED TO CUT MY ROUTE AND LAID ME OFF. WHAT FOLLOWED WERE A ROLLER COASTER. FEW MONTHS WITH A NEW JOB OFFER RECINDED THEY COULDN’T RENEW THEIR LEASE. ALL SEVEN EVENTUALLY MOVED INTO THE FAMILY VAN. HOMELESS FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE DESPERATION OF LIKE, OKAY, YOU GOT NO MONEY, NOWHERE TO STAY IN. WHAT WERE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH THE KIDS? THEY WERE JUST SAYING, LIKE, WHY ARE WE IN THE CAR? AND WE WOULD JUST TELL THEM, WE’RE JUST GOING TO BE HERE FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT. I TOLD THEM, WE’RE GOING TO TRY AND FIND A BETTER PLACE. THEY HAD TO DRIVE THEIR NEW HOME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, DROPPING OFF THE KIDS AND PRAYING FOR ANOTHER DOOR TO OPEN. WE WERE JUST PANICKING BECAUSE WE WEREN’T SURE WHAT TO DO. SO THAT’S WHEN ANDREW WENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AND SPOKE TO THE PRINCIPAL AND ASKED FOR RESOURCES. AT THAT POINT, WE WERE ALREADY THREE NIGHTS IN INTO BEING SLEEPING IN THE VAN AND NOT BEING ANYWHERE. WHEN WE GET THE CALL FROM ONE OF MY DAUGHTER’S TEACHERS AND SHE SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S THERE’S A TEACHER HERE THAT SAYS THAT SHE COULD HELP OUT. HER HUSBAND WORKS FOR HOPE. THE M O R’S. IT’S THERE’S ONE MORE ROOM LEFT AVAILABLE. HOPE THE M O R’S CONVERTED A HOTEL INTO A FAMILY SHELTER WHERE THE HERRERAS HAVE FOUND STABILITY, ALONG WITH ABOUT 100 OTHER FAMILIES. NOW ANDREW HAS WORK AGAIN AND IS ABLE TO SAVE SOME MONEY FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE’RE WAITING FOR IS WHAT THEY CALL A NAVIGATOR TO COME IN AND HELP US LOOK FOR APARTMENTS WHERE? PERMANENT OFFER? YEAH, THEY OFFER PERMANENT HOUSING, AND YOU CAN STAY HERE FOR AS LONG AS YOU NEED TO. YES, YES. THAT’S THE THAT’S THAT’S ONE OF THE BEST PARTS HERE. THEY MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY TO GO AND YOU’RE READY. ON YOUR FEET. NOW, STANDING ON FIRMER GROUND, THE HERRERAS HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE HOMELESSNESS FROM A NEW ANGLE. IT’S NOT WHAT THEY THINK IT IS. WE’RE CONSIDERED A NORMAL FAMILY, AND, YOU KNOW, BUT WE’RE HOMELESS. DID IT CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE FROM WHAT YOU THOUGHT BEFORE VERSUS GOING THROUGH IT NOW? DEFINITELY. I WISH I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THIS WAKE UP CALL A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT AGAIN, WE’RE WE’RE HERE. WE’RE TOGETHER. WE’RE BLESSED. WE’VE HAD, YOU KNOW, A CHANCE TO REGROUP. AND IT’S DEFINITELY OPENED UP OUR EYES TO WHAT HOMELESSNESS IS AND HOW IT LOOKS LIKE. YEAH, LIKE YOU COULD HAVE EVERYTHING YOU WANT. AND THEN ONE DAY IT JUST DISAPPEARS FOR THE HERRERAS AND OTHER FAMILIES HERE, A GLIMMER OF HOPE HAS REAPPEARED IN WOODLA