ESCONDIDO -- Homeless and abused women who rely on an Escondido shelter may soon have to look elsewhere for services. St. Clare's Home has lost some of its contracts with the County. The County says money mismanagement is to blame. 10News digital correspondent Charisse Yu found out how it's affecting people who live there.

For about a month, Michelle Whitaker, who is pregnant, and her daughter Gabriella lived in their truck.

"There was never food," Whitaker said, "never money. I couldn't feed myself. I couldn't feed Gabriella... It's heartbreaking when you can't feed your baby."

She said her abusive relationship with her husband forced her to leave.

"You ever fell in a hole before and maybe somebody started throwing dirt on you? That's kind of what it feels like."

Whitaker said she tried to find a place to stay, but was always turned away.

Finally, a door opened up for her. That door was at the St. Clare Home in Escondido.

"I couldn't ask for anything else," she said. "[It's] A great place."

But that place is now facing some deep financial cuts from San Diego County. The home, founded by Sister Claire Frawley, will lose $227,000 in contracts from the county.

Susan Bower of the County of San Diego Health Services said, "There's been ongoing problematic dififculties experienced by the program including significant staff turnover and significant financial problems that resulted in us needing to terminate."

Sister Clare's has been forced to lay off case workers and to eliminate its substance abuse program. The County says it had to pull out of contracts because of past due bills and financial instability. Meanwhile, Sister Claire Frawley insists accounting problems are being fixed.

"I did it for three years without a penny; I had no salary. If it takes going without salary again, I will," Frawley said.

As for Michelle, she's now planning her future. She says she owes St. Clare's everything for giving her a chance to start a new life.

The audit cleared Frawley of fraud, but found financial mismanagement taking place at the agency. The County says no one receiving services under the contracts right now will be affected, they will be transfered to other facilities.