 |
||||
|
||||
| The Banda Family - Larena Banda, 29, is no stranger to shelters, living on the street, or the dangers of such a life. But after the birth of her son Isaiah, now 1, she came to Save the Family. For Larena, who has struggled with finances, drugs, and failed relationships, Save the Family has offered a chance to develop the basic life skills she never had, and she now has taken classes in budgeting, parenting, and domestic violence education. Larena has also gotten a job and hopes to go back to college to get her nursing degree.
|
||||
| The Larkin Family - Rachel Larkin, who is the single mom of two children, has not had an easy life. Her own mother struggled with drugs, and Rachel first became homeless as a teen. But she somehow persisted in her education, graduating from high school despite these significant challenges. Rachel drew on that tenacity again when she began working with Save the Family and enrolled in a medical billing program in hopes of a better paying job to support her two boys, Avyonne, 3, and Jeriah, who is 7 months old. Rachel's hard work paid off, even in this difficult economy: her wage has jumped from $7.25 to $11 an hour, thanks to her new job skills.
|
||||
| The Caraway Family - A single dad who moved to Arizona from New Jersey in search of a better life for his children, Gary Caraway is a baker for a chain restaurant, but hopes to one day work in human services, helping people in need. He has used many of Save the Family's services, from career services to budgeting classes, and his sons, Gary Lee, 11, and Stephan, 10, regularly participate in the foundation's after school programs. He hopes to save enough money to buy a house for himself and his boys.
|
||||
Desiree's Family - Desiree, whose last name is being withheld for safety reasons, is a young mother of two who became homeless because of a domestic violence situation. For years, she was in an abusive relationship, staying "because I was afraid of doing everything for myself and my children."Finally, she gained the courage to leave and join Save the Family, which has helped her begin addressing those difficult issues. Desiree, who is employed, also turned to Save the Family to help her learn how to budget her money. "I am much happier now thanks to Save the Family,"she says. "Even my four-year-old notices a difference in me." |
||||
The McClinton Family - For Trenetta McClinton, homelessness was the result of having to make impossible choices between her work or her younger son's health. She has two children, Vincent, 9, who enjoys wrestling and reading, and Xander, now 1. But Xander has had medical issues since he was born, causing her to frequently miss work-and she lost her job. Through Save the Family, though, Trenetta found a new job and has been working hard to pay off her debt as well as learn how to improve her financial situation through Save the Family's budgeting classes. |
||||
• • • • • • • Look for a new
'Hope for a Home'
Story each month |
||||
