Housing stability means everything to single mom

After years of housing insecurity and stress, single mom “Whitney” was able to achieve housing stability, thanks to rental assistance and the guidance of her mentors in the FamilyForward program.

For her entire adult life, single parent “Whitney” was able to scrape by. She worked full time, but like all parents, her ability to work was limited by her access to childcare. She could only work during the hours her daycare center was open. As her son got older, she juggled before- and after-school care, summer camp, and babysitting co-ops so she could maintain a 40-hour work week.

Whitney lived within her means. But as a single parent living on one income, she was never able to build an emergency fund, and she never really felt the comfort of housing stability. She eventually paid her bills, sometimes late, but there was never a cushion to cover unexpected expenses such as car repairs or an illness or injury. At times, Whitney visited the local food pantry because her budget did not allow her to buy all the groceries she needed.

Like so many families living paycheck to paycheck, Whitney was one emergency away from homelessness.

A couple of years ago, Whitney experienced a cascade of unexpected challenges in a short period. Her employer was acquired by a new corporate owner, who restructured the company, reduced Whitney’s hours, and cut health insurance coverage for Whitney and her child. Whitney’s parent passed away after a long illness. Then her car required significant repairs. Suddenly, Whitney was facing a sharp increase in expenses while her income and benefits were declining. Looking back, she describes herself at that time as feeling “incredibly sad, lost, and full of despair.”

Fortunately, Whitney applied to FamilyForward.

Rental assistance makes all the difference

Our first step was to help Whitney get caught up on her rent. The fear of eviction had kept Whitney awake at night and weighed heavily on her emotionally. Once she knew that she and her child could remain in their apartment, she was able to focus on tackling her other bills and applying for new jobs.

Whitney’s volunteer mentors were equally instrumental in reducing her stress. They helped her develop a weekly to-do list, allowing her to make steady progress toward her goals. Her mentors also served as a sounding board and a safe space where she could discuss the challenges of living paycheck to paycheck. They offered advice when she asked for it and encouragement when she needed it. Over time, Whitney caught up on all her bills, found a higher paying job, and regained a sense of control over her finances, at last achieving housing stability.

Housing stability is key to a more secure life

Whitney and her volunteer mentors all agree that if she had been evicted from her apartment, none of these other accomplishments would have been possible. If she and her son had lost their home, Whitney does not know where they would have lived. She also feared that the stress of housing instability would have threatened her son’s success at school.

When asked to describe the impact FamilyForward had on her, Whitney wrote: “I have confidence again that I can raise my son in a comfortable environment. Also, you took some financial pressure off so I could focus on my son, my health, and my career. I don’t think I would have had as much growth, and this would have meant as much, nor would I have done as well, I don’t think, if I hadn’t had somebody there as mentors.”