FamilyForward graduate Mom L was the guest speaker at the annual Giving Hope fundraiser luncheon, held October 15, 2023. Her story was a deeply moving and inspirational testimony of how her volunteer mentors gave her renewed hope and forward momentum.
FamilyForward graduate Mom L was the guest speaker at the annual Giving Hope fundraiser luncheon, held October 15, 2023. This single mom of four children shared some of her story, including feeling hopeless and, in her words, “frozen,” following the separation from her husband. FamilyForward gave her renewed hope.
Mom L shared that her volunteer mentors, both of whom were in attendance to hear the speech, taught her how to have better control of her money through budgeting. They helped her identify weekly tasks that enabled her to make slow, but gradual movement toward financial stability. Most important, her mentors cheered her on, celebrated her achievements, and validated her self-worth.
During her time with FamilyForward, Mom L paid off all her credit card debt and found a higher paying job with a family-friendly schedule. Her oldest child is studying science in college, and her second child is on track to graduate high school in the spring. Mom L closed her speech by telling the audience: “FamilyForward not only helped me financially, but also emotionally. I learned that there is no reason to stay frozen in life, because programs like this exist.”