UPDATE: Thanks to your donations, this need has been met!

It’s been a couple years since Desiree has been in our Getting Ahead economic empowerment group but she’s still using the skills she learned. Since GA, she was able to negotiate a raise (twice!) at her current home health care employer, boost her credit score and network, using local resources to help her daughter get the “wedding of her dreams” (on a budget)! 

Until recently, things were looking up…but then life happened. Her husband is disabled and she’s having her own health issues which has forced her to cut back on work. They had to move out of the rental house they were staying in and are now paying $300 more each month in rent for a smaller place. Rising gas and grocery prices aren’t helping either. 

Then, last week hail damaged the windshield of the vehicle Desiree relies on to get to work. They have insurance but the estimated $445 repair must be paid out of pocket. We’d like to help Desiree get this repair taken care of so she can safely drive to and from work to keep this much needed income coming.  

Can you help? Give online at: Donate.CommonHeart.org and select the “Microgiving” option. Please write Desiree in the memo. If you’d prefer to mail a check, please message us with your pledge amount so we can credit that to Desiree. We’ll pay the repair shop directly. 

Desiree first heard about Getting Ahead when she was getting groceries from our evening food pantry at Mill Grove United Methodist Church in Hemby Bridge. Her husband, who is disabled, wasn’t able to work and they had two daughters in college. One of her daughters got engaged while she was enrolled in the GA empowerment group and those new friends were key, she said, to be able to pay for the wedding. 

Through the networking skills and resource building she learned in GA she was able to get her daughter’s dress altered and rent tablecloths on a very tight budget. She even secured a small venue for just $150 by doing the set-up and clean-up themselves and was even allowed to spread that out into payments. 

“My daughter would not have had the wedding of her dreams if I hadn’t had Getting Ahead,” Desiree said. “The group gave me courage and empowerment. I learned the ‘hidden rules’ of society and how to talk to people and the confidence to say what I needed help with.” 

Through Getting Ahead resources and participating in Advocates for Change workshops with Common Heart, Desiree and her husband were able to build up their credit and have even recently pre-qualified for a home loan! She said there was “no way” before Getting Ahead that would have happened. 

Are you interested in joining our next Getting Ahead economic empowerment workgroup or know someone who may be? There’s an application on our website. Questions? Call GA Facilitator Sarah Kimbrough at 704-218-9060 ext. 1009 or email Sarah.Kimbrough@CommonHeart.org.