Bethany is a survivor who escaped an abusive relationship, and in doing so, was forced to quit her job. She began business classes and worked temporary jobs, but her income wasn’t enough to support herself and her daughter. “It was to the point where I was pawning off my belongings to pay my electric bill, and I couldn’t afford rent anymore,” she tells us. If you’re in a similar situation, she wants you to know there is hope. “With the help and support of the W-2 program, I am living proof you can be self-sufficient and support yourself and your children.”
In a country where matching rental properties with the right tenant is increasingly becoming difficult due to a variety of reasons, it is still heartening to see that people like Bethany are being offered a helping hand from all ends. Today, landlords hold the right to carry out tenant background checks with the help of organizations like AAOA, to ensure the tenants are financially stable and have clean records. And rightly so. In Bethany’s case, these background checks might actually have proven helpful, as landlords that understand her situation can come forward to offer their homes for rent. She now has much less to worry about because she also receives financial assistance from W-2.
Bethany says, “We can’t go back in time and change the past. But we can give ourselves a chance to create a new future and ending.”
In W-2, she got Emergency Assistance to help with rent, immersed herself in positive role models, and started training for the future she wanted. Bethany enrolled in CDL training, which gave her the credentials and motivation she needed to move forward. She also took our Essentials classes, which helped her prepare for interviews, search for good jobs, and develop workplace skills. Meanwhile, she volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, where she gained experience and connected with caring individuals who she says, “instilled my confidence in the goodness of people again.”
With all these pieces in place, Bethany was soon offered a full-time job that “is going to launch my dreams with room for growth, travel, and so many possibilities.” She also just received approval for a Job Access Loan that will help her get her car fixed so she can get to work.
As she reflected on the progress she’s made, Bethany’s advice to others is: “Be so stubborn about your goals but flexible about your methods. Things might not happen for you right away and that’s okay. We all have different journeys to take and never give up on yours!”
“In your own time you will heal, find your voice, and get your power back. You are stronger than anyone or anything that tried to break you.”
Congratulations!! Thank you for being an inspiration.
