Amanda’s Story

Amanda fell behind on rent due to a job change. She wouldn’t receive her next paycheck in six weeks and was on the edge of being evicted. “The Care Service was able to catch me up on my rent,” said Amanda. “They totally kept us in our housing, which we’ve now lived in for four years.”

The family worked with Care Service Case Manager Ellen who connected Amanda to free budgeting classes to learn how to manage her monthly expenses. Ellen also enrolled her in the Care Service Food Pantry so she could stretch her grocery bill and provided referrals for clothing for the children. The children also received backpacks filled with school supplies for the fall.

“It seems scary to get help in this day and age…but the one thing I learned is that it never hurts to ask for help, and you never know what services that are out there,” said Amanda.

Amanda works full-time as a paraprofessional in the autism room at a local school. She is currently taking college classes online to further her education and increase her income.

Amanda is very passionate about teaching and loves English literature. She used to teach English in Asia, an experience she cherishes, and is always looking forward to doing it again.

It’s been a year since Amanda’s case was closed. She has been paying bills on time, received a few raises at work, and her children are thriving in school. She has also been able to set aside some savings as an emergency fund.

“We’ve had a stable home. My kids live beautiful lives. We have a nice home in a nice little area with a lot of land for the kids to play and hang out on,” said Amanda. “It’s been a blessing to me to be able to support that life.”

Recently, Amanda shared that she was accepted into a work/study Global Studies program at St. Charles Community College. The family couldn’t be more excited about the future ahead.