More than Just Housing: Angela’s Story
Summer 2019
Angela* never thought she would be homeless.
With a decent job, she was able to provide a stable home for her three children. When her landlord increased her rent dramatically, she was forced to look for another place to live.
She found a dream home on Craig’s List: perfect size, affordable rent, and still in the neighborhood where her kids went to school. She filled out the application and was approved, so she sent in her deposit and first month’s rent and waited for move-in day. Unfortunately, the listing was a scam and her savings was now gone. Unable to afford a new deposit, she moved from place to place, staying with friends and family until Partners in Housing accepted her. Considerable debt had racked up in that very short time. “I was so scared to look at my credit report after that, but the credit counselor put things in perspective and helped me come up with a plan to pay down my debt and get current with my bills.”
Armed with new knowledge and confidence, she contacted her creditors, made payment arrangements and began working with a Money Mentor to set up a workable budget. Money Mentoring pairs families with certified credit counselors for regular meetings to improve credit while volunteers and staff review budgets on a monthly basis.
At the end of her year, Angela’s credit score increased 120 points and was higher than it had ever been, meaning she did not have to come up with an additional deposit when she moved. “I am so grateful to the Money Mentor volunteers for understanding my situation and walking with me in this process.”
Families are also provided with Life Skills classes on a monthly basis that cover topics such as home ownership, financing a vehicle, self-care, and more.
If you would like to make a difference in the life of a family experiencing homelessness as a Money Mentor or a Life Skills Instructor, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator, Tarin Potter, at Tpotter@partnersinhousing.org
