Cathedral City resident Teresa Perez felt like her world was crumbling around her during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She lost her job as a community liaison at a local school district (which she did not want to name) once schools shut down in March 2020. The pandemic also brought tragedy to the 47-year-old’s life, with the death of her parents, as well as the end of a romantic relationship. She added that she had to seek mental health help to cope with anxiety.