Evie felt like a failure. She was doing a great job until last year when her hours were cut at work, and she struggled to keep up with the late fees added to her rent. Then she lost her job. Suddenly, the single mom of seven was facing eviction and they had nowhere to go. hat’s when Evie reached out to The Care Service.
Following her initial interview and completing paperwork, Evie began working with a Care Service social worker. When her landlord refused payment from The Care Service to bring her rent current and planned to move forward with the eviction, Evie’s social worker connected her with a discrimination attorney to fight the eviction. Thanks to attorney’s negotiations, the landlord agreed to accept payment from The Care Service for the past due amount with the understanding that The Care Service would continue to pay the rent for three additional months to give Evie time to begin receiving paychecks from her new job.
Evie created a budget with help from her social worker. The family’s first visit to The Care Service Food Pantry was an exciting time for all of them. The kids loved getting to pick out their favorite flavor of chips, and Evie was grateful for the budget help the free food, laundry detergent, and toilet paper provided.
Another budget boost came when Evie talked with her social worker about the monthly cost for the furniture she was renting. She needed the beds and furniture for her children but the rental costs were a problem. Her social worker agreed and was able to give Evie a referral to a local organization that gave the family the free beds and other furniture they needed, eliminating those rental fees from her budget entirely.
Evie knew it seemed like things were going too well. She anticipated another crisis, so she wasn’t surprised when her car broke down, just four months after she bought it. At her weekly check-in with her social worker, Evie shared that she rides to work were costing a lot and making it impossible to keep to her budget. Luckily, her social worker was aware of some special funds that were available and The Care Service was able to help get her car back on the road.
Given the constant stress she was under, it was no surprise that Evie struggled with anxiety so severe that it was sometimes difficult for her to work. She was still waiting for health insurance at work to start and couldn’t afford to pay for therapy. Her social worker reached out to her network and found a therapist who would work with her until her insurance kicked in. At her therapy visits Evie learned techniques to calm her anxiety which left her better able to adapt at her new job and deal with stress at home. She enjoyed teaching her older kids some of the same techniques for times when they felt stressed.
Throughout the next year Evie checked-in regularly with her social worker. In August, her social worker gave the children backpacks stocked with school supplies to start the new year off right. She also made sure the family participated in the Adopt-A-Family Program. Thanks to caring people in our community, they each received gifts from their wish lists, and Evie was able to pay her rent and other bills without worrying about how to also provide Christmas for her family.
Evie no longer feels like a failure. The assistance provided by The Care Service and the personal support she received from her Care Service social worker helped her get through a very tough year. Today her kids are happy and doing well in school, and Evie smiles knowing that she is doing a good job as their mom.