With Faith Community Homes in her corner, "Kelly” found a safer place to live and the financial fortification she urgently needed to catch up on bills and make a new start with her children.
When single mom “Kelly” applied to Faith Community Homes in 2018, she was living in an unsafe apartment owned by a landlord who refused to make any repairs. Kelly was working full time but did not have enough money for a deposit on a new apartment. And her credit score was low. She was barely getting by, with no safety net.
After accepting Kelly into the program, Faith Community Homes met with a potential new landlord and explained Kelly’s situation. The landlord, supportive of the FCH mission and understanding the importance of our work, agreed to rent to Kelly. FCH paid the security deposit on the new apartment to get Kelly and her children into a safe home as soon as possible.
A string of setbacks
During her time with Faith Community Homes, life presented Kelly with many challenges. Two close family members passed away. She was the victim of a financial crime. Her children’s father fell behind on child support. She contracted COVID-19 at work and was ill for several weeks.
Without rent support from FCH, any one of these circumstances might have put Kelly into a financial state of emergency. But Kelly’s case manager and volunteer mentors helped her stay on schedule with all her bills. More important, they kept in close touch with her along the way, offering moral support and guidance so she never felt too alone in the struggles she faced.
Perseverance paves the way
Despite the many setbacks, Kelly persevered. She continued to work full time and even took on overtime shifts when she was able to secure babysitting for the kids. One of Kelly's important goals in the FCH program was to go back to school to get certified for a higher paying job. Sure enough, by the end of her second year, Kelly had completed a professional certification program at a community college.
She paid down some debt. She put money into savings. She paid off her car note. With her new job, she earns $300 per month more than she did when she began our program.
In the final review session, one of Kelly’s mentors left her with these parting words of advice as she moves forward on her own: “You are one of the strongest people I know! You are one of the most motivated people I know! You are a great advocate for yourself. Keep it up!”
With great determination and Faith Community Homes in her corner, Kelly found a safer place to live and the financial fortification she urgently needed to catch up on bills and make a new start, despite many challenges.