LISA’S STORY

Lisa, a registered nurse, left a stressful job on the advice of her obstetrician. After two devastating miscarriages, Lisa and her husband were willing to forego her income to increase the likelihood that they could have another child. They knew they’d made the right decision when their beautiful healthy son Nicholas, now 5, was born. But the family’s finances suffered without Lisa’s salary, even after she went back to work part-time as a school nurse. Eventually her marriage crumpled under the strain.

Now embroiled in a painful divorce Lisa, at 50, is dealing with enormous pressures. It’s hard to make ends meet now that she’s on her own. She worries about her mounting debt. It’s been difficult to pursue better paying employment, with her childcare needs and her commitment to care for her mother, who has Stage 4 cancer and receives hospice care at home. She’s struggling to maintain normalcy for her son and her daughter, now a senior in high school. When she received a shut-off notice from the water company because of two past-due bills, “Everything caught up with me. I’ve always been strong and independent. I’m always the one helping others. It’s hard for me to be the one who needs help now.”

Lisa was referred to Safe At Home, a United Way-funded program that provides modest grants to cover housing arrears so women facing a first-time financial crisis can remain in their homes. It was a huge relief to Lisa when her water bills were paid. It was also a turning point. “They weren’t judging me. They were investing in me. I know now that I can get back on my feet. All I needed was a little breathing room. I have options, and I know I will get through this.”