* “Stories of HOPE” feature real clients and their stories, however, we use a stand-in name and image to protect their privacy *
“Shawna” and her partner came to HOPE in 2016 after experiencing homelessness in 2015. They were both working and raising their daughter while trying to maintain expenses. They were given food, clothing, and a bus voucher. They only came a few more times for food throughout the next several years. In 2023 they returned to request financial assistance. Their teenage daughter was expecting, and they were anticipating adopting their granddaughter and continuing to support their family. Shawna was in school trying to advance her career skills to better provide for her family.
We had them attend a financial literacy course on how to manage their money and provided them with some financial assistance to prevent homelessness. Shawna continued coming to the pantry regularly and sharing her joys and hardships with the team. Shawna noted that after she and her partner separated, she was hitting rock bottom. She was not implementing what she had been taught through financial literacy and was struggling. She then got a call back for a job interview and came to HOPE to get some appropriate interview clothes. She was given the job despite not having the full educational requirements and was feeling so grateful that she came to HOPE to share her good news. She asked to speak with our financial literacy team to manage her new income level appropriately. HOPE was able to schedule her for a budgeting workshop and provided a voucher for additional work clothes.
Stories like Shawna’s reflect how much the relationship with our clients impacts them. By consistently being available for our clients, they can count on the services we provide such as financial literacy. Financial literacy is a path and we are very proud to offer these services to our community no matter where they are on their journey. In just this one family’s case, financial literacy has been able to help them avoid eviction, manage their income to be self-sufficient, and start working toward owning their own home.
