Last week I wrote about the California couple whose home had been foreclosed on by their mortgage holder, Wells Fargo Bank. The case is a tragic reminder of how hopeless homeowners have been pushed to the brink in the wake of an economic downturn where some view death as a better alternative to fighting a bank or the law. Two days before the couple's eviction date, Norman Rousseau shot himself in the family's home.

“I lost my husband and it hurts me like hell,” Oriane Rousseau told CBS 2 Los Angeles. “I don’t want this to happen to anybody. This is horrible. I lost my husband. I lose my pets, I lose my house, I lose my furniture, everything... for nothing.”

Now the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) has stepped up to try to help Oriane, and to try to stop this sort of tragedy from happening again. There is a page online here to read more about the Rousseau's tragedy, and to make donations for Oriane to make new living arrangements, as she is currently staying in a donated hotel room and her time there is limited.

Oriane has to start living on her own completely from scratch, and while grieving the loss of her husband. If you're able to contribute anything at all, I hope you'll consider doing so.

There is also an online petition urging the CA Legislature to pass the Homeowner Bill of Rights, which would provide a minimum level of due process and fairness for struggling homeowners.

You can also help by helping this story spread far and wide.The more people aware of the petition the better, and the more people who read and decide to help Oriane make a new beginning after this tragedy the better.