Rachel is only 24 years old and grew up in Hudsonville.
She joined the Life Skills Program after she attended our Community Christmas event and received support for Christmas gifts.
At that time, she was living in a small studio apartment infested with mice, having to share a space with her son.
She knew she had to get herself out of that situation.
“I tried to get better on my own but relapsed several times. I blew through my life savings. I totaled my car. I almost lost everything. Now being on the right medication, it completely changed my life. I remember thinking – ‘I can’t lose my kid.’ Just stopping to think about how this was really affecting him.
I would try to trick myself into thinking, ‘I’m still a good mom. This isn’t affecting him. I’m still here every day. But I wasn’t the best version of myself. I just stopped being selfish. I did 3 months of therapy and addressed my trauma and pain, so now I don’t even want to use anymore. The things that used to hurt me don’t hurt me anymore.”
Early in her recovery, she took out a personal loan to help her get back on her feet. This debt has followed her and continues to stop her from truly thriving. One of her goals is to pay this debt off. The housing stipend offered as part of Life Skills has been something she continues to utilize.
When she talks about her experience taking the first Life Skills class, Financial Literacy, she shares, “Some of the topics I did know and some I didn’t. Tracking my finances really showed me the little spendings that add up. I realized you really think about it when you write it down. I realized I could go without this stuff. That was a huge eye opener for me.”
Now she is taking Boundaries, and mentions how helpful this would have been for her in her previous life.
After just 6 months in the program, Rachel has learned core skills while earning critical resources that impacted her family in huge ways: weekly groceries, gas vouchers, car repair assistance, and housing stipends, allowing her to stay in a safe and healthy home environment for her son and baby on the way.
Recently, she chose to be paired with a peer support, a volunteer who walks alongside her as she continues reaching her goals.
“Her name is Moe. She’s real and relatable. I like her a lot.”
Their relationship has just begun, but Rachel is continuing to buckle down and save. In just 6 months in the program, she has paid off over $3,000 in debt.
When we mention volunteering at the program teaching a class or being a peer support, Rachel tells us, “I think I would. I actually already brought it up to my partner. It’s just a couple hours a week.”
Learn more about the Life Skills Program here.
We’ll be sharing 40 stories of transformation leading up to our 40th Celebration Block Party on September 24th. Please join us!