Summary: After losing her family home in a house fire 2 years ago, Marche Singh, 66, became homeless. In mid-may of 2023, she had an asthma attack where she was hopitalized and told authorities about her homelessness situation. Marche was then placed in temporary housing on the Island of Alameda by a nonprofit, known as the Village of Love. There she focuses on piecing her life back together, working towards one day becoming a homeowner again. She travels back and forth between the Island and other parts of the Bay Area where she still holds on to remnants of her past life. Singh like many other residents of Alameda are battling rising housing cost. Marche is working to become stable enough to own housing again. Picking Up the Remnants is a case study about the fluidity of communities and how they blend into one another. Marche Singh is on a journey to pick up the pieces of her life while she continues to care for others. Caption 1st Image: Singh sits in the living room of her old neighbor, Pamela “Pam” Richard’s, house to do her hair. Pamela Richard, her long time neighbor along with Pam’s granddaughter, Ambience have been a stable pillar in Singh’s life since the house fire. Singh has looked after Pam (right corner) ever since Pam’s son died in 2021 and Pam’s health began to decrease. “Pam moved here about 10 or 15 years ago… we just kind of clicked. She lives here on 47th Street with her granddaughter…She’s touched my heart in a really special way. We’re like sisters,” Singh said. “I know that she doesn’t have a lot of space but she’s made me a little space to put my stuff. So now that I have a place, I’m going to start taking my things away a little bit at a time.” Marche often comes back to the house to take her belongings over to her new home on Alameda Island. This new step is a transition for her.

Singh stands in front of her old family home that burned down in a house fire two years ago on 47th Street in Emeryville, California. Singh moved back to the family home in 1999 to take of her mother who had multiple myeloma cancer and my father had congestive heart failure. “I don’t regret taking care of them. If I had to do it all over again, and I could have them back here for an hour or two, I would, you know, that’s how much love I have for my parents,“ Singh said. Singh is now left with becoming her own care taker and finding her placing again in life.

Marche walks along the path of the Cesar Chavez Public Library in Oakland, California where she has been working as a part-time tutor to provide a source of income since 1999. She travels from Alameda commutes an hour to two hours every work day to reach the library. “I’ve always believed if I can, do something for someone no matter what I’m going through,” Singh said. I’m homeless right now but that doesn’t matter. I’m there for the kids and I put that on the back burner when I go into that library and I focus on my students in front of me.”

Singh works with one of her student’s Ronaldo on reading material to help prepare him for the fifth grade. “Ronaldo is basically a good student, but sometimes he feels challenged,” Singh said.
“I want to teach the kids because a lot of times kids get left behind in the classroom…I’m there to help them, to nurture them…And I think I do a damn good job at it,” Singh said.

Singh reflects on her current state in life while she waits before making the commute between Alameda and Emeryville. “I have my moments that I get a little sad,” Marche said. “I hate to say this Then I say, Marche get up, put your big girl panties on and lace up your towel boots,” Singh said. “It’s gonna be hard, but you’ve got good, friends you got a good practice to rely on and you can do this. There’s always somebody that’s worse off than myself. I’m grateful that I’m able to get up every day.”

Singh shares a moment with Ambiance, her neighbor Pam’s granddaughter, who has sclerosis of the brain. “I told [Pam] that if something ever happened to her, I would take Amiance in. She would become part of my family and she would never be out on the street,” Singh said.

Singh believes in going where ever she is needed. “Im a Buddhist and we believe that nothing happens by coincidence.” She uses her faith as a vehicle to do the good things for both her community and the children’s lives she touches. Singh believes in going where ever she is needed. “Im a Buddhist and we believe that nothing happens by coincidence.” She uses her faith as a vehicle to do the good things for both her community and the children’s lives she touches.

As Singh waits for the 96th bus in Alameda, Singh encounters another woman who is going through a similar situation compared to hers. She encourages her to attend the Village of Love, a non profit in Alameda where Singh was able to receive transitional housing. “I’ve been there for two weeks and it’s a really nice place,” Singh tells the woman at the bus stop.

Singh returns home to her transitional housing on the West Side of Alameda Island. “It’s just a temporary setback, but you to make it through,” Singh tells herself. “I never thought I’d end up in a situation where I was homeless, but I know there is a reason for it. Its better to have a positive attitude going through it.”