Sometimes a little stability and consistency go a long way.
DeAndre had a great job in insurance sales for a large law firm. However, his job, which depended on visits to client homes, suffered when the pandemic hit, causing his company to lay him off.
Then things began to spiral. DeAndre lost his car and fell behind on rent. Thankfully, he found work with a local home improvement store, however the hours for his new job were inconsistent, causing timing issues with his rent payments.
Adding to the rent payment complications was the fact that sometimes DeAndre’s hours were not enough to cover his expenses on certain weeks. As such, his rent payments fell behind again and when he was unable to pay for his rent one month, and subsequently placed on an eviction notice, he called United Way’s 2-1-1 telephone services directory for assistance and they referred him to HOPE.
DeAndre then gave us a call and he was successfully pre-screened for financial assistance. Then his brother drove him to the Resource Center and one of our case managers created a tailored a case plan for him which included 1:1 financial counseling and budgeting involving information about bill/debt consolidation, credit management and financial planning.
After receiving some initial help from us DeAndre was promoted to a team lead at his job which gave him consistent hours. Moreover, DeAndre submitted a letter to us from his employer stating he was in good standing which in turn helped his case manager negotiate with his apartment’s management office regarding his eviction notice. We also told the office about his consistent hours and budgeting to help keep DeAndre’s rental record in good standing and remove him from the eviction status.
The management office agreed to work with us and we then provided DeAndre with rent and utilities assistance which helped him get back on track while his new budget empowered him to plan out consistent rent payments for the future. HOPE also provided a voucher for him to receive a bicycle from The HOPE Chest since it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to walk to work due to leg pain. Not only has the bicycle made it easier for him to get to work, but he can get there faster and pick up shifts if needed.
Currently, DeAndre is able to remain in his home, is paying his rent on time and is able to do so consistently all thanks to HOPE stepping and bringing him some much needed stability.
