* “Stories of HOPE” feature real clients and their stories, however, we use a stand-in name and image to protect their privacy *
“After the move, I was overwhelmed and got behind fast” is what Alisia told one of HOPE’s case managers when she first came to us for help. Alisia, a single mom, had recently moved across Central Florida to provide a better life for her daughter but had fallen on tough times. Alisia lived in Lake County through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8 Housing, which is a federal government program for assisting low-income families, the disabled, and the elderly with affordable housing and rent support through vouchers. However, after moving into another Section 8 supported residence in Seminole County, Alisia was unable to receive her first month’s voucher because unbeknownst to her, Section 8 was still paying on her old home in Lake County. As a result, she faced an unexpectedly large bill for her first month in Seminole County and faced eviction from her new apartment since her landlord wouldn’t qualify her for Section 8 due to the payment issue. While her daughter helped them make ends meet by becoming a professional dog sitter, they struggled and still faced losing their home. Additionally, their car was in desperate need of repairs. Then, Alisia found HOPE. Our Resource Center quickly got to work and placed her on a case plan. First, they helped her get her past rent taken care of which got her caught up with her bills and allowed her to remain in her home and qualify for Section 8 in Seminole County. Then, they provided her with food pantry services to alleviate extra standard of living costs. When it came to her car’s challenges, HOPE referred her to a local auto shop partner that fixed her car at a discount. Last but certainly not least, Alisia took financial counseling courses with us and credit counseling courses, the latter of which is now being offered at HOPE as part of our 2023 initiative to enhance the “E” for “Education” in HOPE’s name and in its mission. Currently, Alisia is caught up with her rent and has much stronger personal finances and has been able to remain in her home. She told us recently that she’s been able to save money for the first time in a long time and she can sleep easier at night seeing the path forward to self-sufficiency. We’ve been blessed to serve Alisia and her daughter and are glad to see her thriving.
