A year ago, Melissa thought she and her family were on solid financial ground. She and her husband and steady jobs, their bills were paid and their kids were thriving at school. When the pandemic hit earlier this year, they both lost their jobs and watched their bank account balance drop weekly as they paid rent, utilities and other bills. Once stay at home orders were … [Read more...] about Melissa’s Story of Hope & Courage
Stories of Hope & Courage
Kandi’s Story of Hope & Courage
When the pandemic hit, Kandi’s family took a financial hit. As a special needs family, their budget was always tight but they managed to save for a rainy day. Kandi’s husband had his hours reduced and they managed to get by with the emergency funds they had set aside. However, as the pandemic endured, the funds in their bank account did not. “We didn’t know where to turn,” … [Read more...] about Kandi’s Story of Hope & Courage
Merari’s Story of Hope and Courage
Asking for help is never easy. When businesses started to close their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Merari was furloughed from her theme park job. Her roommate was also furloughed. They pooled their savings to pay rent and then had to decide between making a car payment or paying the cell phone bill. Then, there was the matter of food. She saw a Facebook post about … [Read more...] about Merari’s Story of Hope and Courage
Arlene’s Story of Hope and Courage
Arlene moved to Orlando for a dream job, only to lose it when the company was sold. That’s when things started to unravel. At first it was small things, like burning through the extras in her pantry. Then it was her savings. Finally, she couldn’t even afford to put gas in her car. “I was embarrassed and ashamed,” she recalls. “So much time passed and I dug myself into a … [Read more...] about Arlene’s Story of Hope and Courage
Hope for Carlos
Like many of our neighbors in Central Florida, Carlos works in the hospitality industry. Without guests filling hotel beds, workers like Carlos have had their hours cut and, in many cases, they’ve been furloughed or laid off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Carlos’s main concern was for his two school-aged daughters who rely on breakfast and lunch at their elementary … [Read more...] about Hope for Carlos
