Grace

Grace is a single-mother to three children. She grapples with multiple health conditions that make it hard for her to work. The $1,000 per month has “been a big blessing” in Grace and her children’s lives. She used the money on extracurriculars for her kids–sports, powerlifting, and band–as well as prom, school supplies, and field trips. Without the money, she could not have paid for a dual credit course for her daughter, which allowed her to graduate high school early and start college. 

Though the money helped, in many areas of Grace’s life it did not go far enough. Her goals were to use the money to improve her health, move out of her parent’s house, and secure transportation. Yet she continued to run into walls with her health, with misdiagnoses, botched surgeries, and trouble getting appointments. At one point she does get a car but can only afford an older car that breaks down after a time, and Grace cannot afford to fix it. Between her unreliable transportation, and living in a rural area removed from job opportunities, she struggles to find employment. Though there are still many “ups and downs”, she feels the program has helped make ends meet over the years, and her kids’ lives are better for it.