A New Beginning for Josephine

Like many couples, Josephine and her boyfriend fought about their finances. She had always worked and paid her bills on time, and he did not share these same values. When the fighting escalated to a violent altercation, Josephine was determined that it would never happen again. She accepted a quick job transfer and moved across the state to start a new life with her children.

Imagine her disappointment when she arrived and was told that the new job would only be able to provide her with half of the hours of the old one. Still she continued to work as hard as ever and enrolled in an online program with Kaplan University. She earned an AA in Medical Office Management and found a new, higher paying job but the new income was not high enough. Josephine was not able to pay off her back rent fast enough and was evicted.

She and her children had no choice but to move in with her brother for two years. During this time, she continued to work and became licensed to sell healthcare, auto, and workers’ compensation insurance. But the stain of eviction does not go away and she was unable to get approved for another apartment. When it came time for her to move on, she was forced to move into an extended stay motel. She had been living in the motel for 2 ½ years when she joined the Motel to Home (M2H) program.

Joining the M2H program helped Josephine to focus on paying off her past eviction debt and raising her credit score. After paying off this debt, her credit score increased from the low 400’s to 555. She has also been able to obtain a secured credit card with her credit union. Then she received one week’s notice that the small office she was renting for $200/month would no longer be available. This was the final push that Josephine needed to try once again to get approved for an apartment. Thankfully, all her hard work had paid off and she was approved! She can now work from home and no longer has to pay for office space.

Her children are thriving. Her son has entered the Coast Guard and her daughter, a high school senior, is hoping to start college next year and major in journalism.

I’m grateful that I stayed positive and hopeful knowing that everything was not in vain. I know that this is not the end for me and my family, but the beginning of many more great things to come.

*Named changed to protect clients privacy