Loletia (An ABC Graduate)

We take for granted something as simple as a stove to cook dinner until we are forced to do without it. This may not be a new lesson, but it’s one that we learn best through experience and Loletia found this out the hard way. She works for an information and technology company as an office manager and brings home enough money to pay rent and provide for her children, but a series of medical bills put her into debt and ruined her credit. Suddenly, she was forced to move from cheap apartment to ever-cheaper apartment until finally she found herself living with her son in the basement of someone’s home. “It was awful,” she said. “We didn’t even have a stove or a microwave or an oven. Things that you take for granted that are really important, things that I never thought I’d be without.”

Loletia felt lost. She had nowhere to go and no visible way out of debt. “I’m someone who has worked full time and always been able to provide for my kids and still working full time I couldn’t do that and it’s not the way I’m used to and it’s been really hard.” The effect of Loletia’s financial burden manifests itself in her character. She dresses neatly in business attire, chooses her words carefully and has the air of a woman who is used to having some control, but the worry over what would happen next wore Loletia down. She has a look of total exhaustion, but under the weariness in her eyes there is a spark, just a glimpse of resilience. Her life is turning around and she welcomes the change.

She would probably still be in that basement if she hadn’t found Good Shepherd Housing, an unexpected stroke of good luck. “Someone told me they had just heard about it. They said, “I just heard about this program. I don’t know if they can help you or not.””
Help indeed was what Good Shepherd Housing provided. Loletia applied to our A-B-C program and two months later was accepted. “I got the call at work and it was exciting and unbelievable. It was fast and it was very necessary because we were in a really bad place.” Good Shepherd Housing leased Loletia a two-bedroom apartment where she now lives with her son. So far the only problem has been with a mailbox key. GSH staff helped her get a new key that worked and she has not had a problem since.
Housing, however, was just the beginning of the services GSH provided Loletia. After she moved into her new home she started mandatory budget counseling meetings. She had a rocky start, but got rolling quickly. “The first one [counseling session] I tried I was not in a very good spot and Kay realized that so we decided to try another time. That time I was ready, ready to start talking about things I could do and what I should do and it went better than I expected. At first it just seemed so overwhelming, but now I can see I didn’t get into it over night and it can’t go away overnight.”

Loletia gained a new perspective from her sessions that helps her gauge progress. “It’s funny there are little things. I’m beginning to, even a little bit, start paying on one old bill. Everything seemed so overwhelming before that I felt like I was being swallowed up. Now I see there are things I can do.”

Loletia still has a lot of work ahead of her in order to repair her credit, but with help from Good Shepherd Housing she will fix her credit, find an apartment on her own and achieve financial freedom. Currently, Loletia is maintaining a decent, affordable home for herself and her son and feels her burden getting lighter everyday.

Joy (An HTP Graduate)

Joy has talked about owning her own home for all of her life. Few people would have bet on her success when she came into our Homeless Transition Program. As the program's title suggests, Joy was homeless. Domestic violence drove her and her three children out of their home, and their only alternative was to sleep in their car.

Initially there weren't many resources to work with, other than Joy's boundless energy and her drive to make a dream become reality. She did not have a job, a home or way to provide for her children's needs. But, she was determined to succeed.

With Good Shepherd Housing's help, Joy found a job and an apartment. She also found barriers along the way, like a job layoff. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Joy enrolled herself in a computer class and got a job in technology. Starting again, she quickly moved from entry-level worker up to the manager.

Joy is doing everything right. She has started attending homebuyer classes and saving for a home. Joy is determined that the next move she makes will be to her very own home. I can't wait to celebrate with her at a housewarming party.

Lisa (An ABC Graduate)

Sometimes a client's situation makes us pause, simply because the client
doesn't realize the strength and determination they possess. That is the
case with Lisa. She is a breast cancer survivor and has also had to deal
with other health problems over the past few years. But, that has not
broken her spirit.

With the help of GSH, Lisa enrolled in and successfully completed an 18-week
job-training program. With this new diploma in hand, she was able to get a
great job in the clerical field at a local retirement community. This is the
first steady job Lisa has had in 2 years, the length of time she has been
battling cancer and trying to maintain her health. She is very excited
about her new opportunity and having a steady income. Way to go Lisa!

Heather (An Emergency Services Program Participant)

Our Emergency Service program has a simple goal - - to help low-income families maintain their homes during short-term financial crisis. Heather does well to demonstrate how the program stabilizes families.

Heather loves kids and works hard. Her job as a Bus Attendant is a great fit for her because it incorporates both elements. However, her household budget is tight because of the low income.

To make ends meet, she lives in a modest apartment with her daughter and luckily, their rent is based on their combined income. As it turns out, Heather can pay the rent and her daughter’s job pays for the utilities, food and other monthly expenses.

Last fall Heather had a death in her immediate family and had to pay airfare to Chicago as well as contribute to the funeral expenses. She was unable to pay the entire rent for the next month.

GSHFS assisted with $200 toward her rent, and Heather’s short-term financial crisis was solved, allowing her and her daughter to maintain their home. We are proud to have taken a role in stabilizing this hardworking family!