Kristi A.

Kristi is a single mom with a teenage daughter.  When Kristi began the DGL program she had been unemployed for over a year.  Her unemployment benefits were ending and she was facing the reality of being homeless.  Several months into her DGL year Kristi secured a part-time contract job.  Just as she began to feel some financial security, her daughter was hospitalized for several days, then a car accident (not her fault) totaled her car and the insurance payoff was insufficient to purchase even an older, used car. 

 “It’s worse than living paycheck to paycheck, I am always just one paycheck away from total disaster.” 

Kristi was hesitant to join DGL because she believed “there are more families needier than us.”   But Kristi was really struggling to pay her rent and buy groceries each month.  She realized that her financial insecurity was having a tremendous impact on her health as well as her daughter’s health.  Facing homelessness with a child, she completed her application.  Kristi recognized what many families tell DGL. 

“$100/month doesn’t seem like a lot of money, but it can buy groceries for the month and that’s one less thing to worry about.” 

 
Kristi is resilient, her hopeful spirit an inspiration.  She was proud to tell us that near the end of her DGL year she used some of her last two DGL checks to open a savings account, to take advantage of an offer for a $400 bonus after making two deposits. Kristi intends to deposit her tax refund into this account and she will have over $800 saved for future, unplanned expenses.

She was excited to tell us that in February she secured a full-time job, with health benefits!  Kristi no longer feels that she is one paycheck away from total disaster. 

I’m a big believer in paying it forward.  You paid it forward on me, thank you.  I hope I have the chance to do that for someone else, some day.