Every year, many Americans decide to create goals and resolutions for the New Year. Sometimes they are to eat healthier, save money, or to learn more. Our clients at HOME, Inc. are incentivized to create goals about what they want out of their lives. According to the Peak Performance Center, benefits of goal-setting includes providing directions, a clearer focus on what is important, clarity in decision making, control on one’s future, provides motivation, sense of personal motivation, sense of personal satisfaction, and a purpose of life. Many of the successful HOME Inc. stories include goal-setting. Sarah, the client in this story, set goals and did not just reach them, but conquered them! We wish the best of luck to Sarah and her kids!
Sarah first came into HOME Inc.’s Homeless Prevention Program because she was facing eviction in November of 2017. She was only receiving support from the Family Investment Program (FIP) and just started a job part-time, but had to wait a few weeks for her paycheck. She was living in a one bedroom unit and sharing a bed with her 7-year-old while she was pregnant with another child due in May. Her goals were to get her nursing degree, find transportation and secure a 2 bedroom apartment. She worked on a budget with her case manager and Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS) worker. Sarah was able to buy a car after 3 months and increase her income after being offered a full-time job.
Sarah was still concerned with the baby due in a few months. She was wondering how she would be able to stay home with her newborn son and still pay the rent since her work did not offer paid maternity leave. With the help of her case manager, she was referred to TBRA (Temporary Based Rental Assistance) and was selected to receive it. She was able to secure a 2 bedroom house that accepted the housing assistance which helped her and provided her daughter’s first bedroom to herself. It also helped Sarah because she did not have to worry about housing costs and could spend time with her newborn baby. Because of TBRA, Sarah was able to enroll in advanced CNA classes at DMAAC while she stayed at home with her baby. She completed her classes and received her certificate.
A few months ago, Sarah was luckily chosen to receive Section 8 housing assistance. She had gone back to work full time after her maternity leave. Through a few transportation hiccups, Sarah continued to budget and meet with her case manager to get through those barriers and find a reliable vehicle. She moved into her new Section 8 housing which provided stable, ongoing housing for Sarah and her family. Her daughter did have to transfer schools but luckily Sarah had a plan in place and her daughter was able to start at the beginning of the school year. Her daughter loves her new school and is planning to be there long term. Because Sarah was approved for Section 8, she will be able to go back to school and complete her goal of getting her nursing degree.
*name was changed for privacy reasons