Anastacia’s Story: Helping Others in a Time of Need
Meet Anastacia, an intensive in-home counselor who lives in Roanoke, West Virginia. What’s it like where you live? I’ve lived in Roanoke for eight years now. I live with my boyfriend and two roommates in a house. We’re actually getting ready to move with our roommates to a new home in the same community! My…
Read MoreMargaret and Tom’s Story: Giving All They Can During the Coronavirus Lockdown
Meet Margaret and Tom, East Coast natives who live in Connecticut. What do you both do for work? Margaret: I’ve been a United Way food pantry manager for the past 14 years. Normally, I order food for pickup, help people shop, and take inventory. It’s only open certain times a day to limit the foot…
Read MoreMichelle’s Story: Happiness Is Contagious
Meet Michelle, a former health insurance agent who lives with her two granddaughters in Wisconsin. What’s it like where you live? I grew up in Wisconsin and I’ve been here for 52 years. I have a 33-year-old son who doesn’t live with me, but I’m taking care of my two teenage granddaughters, so that’s who’s…
Read MoreKirsten’s Story: Adjusting to Life in Lockdown
Meet Kirsten, who lives with her sons and fiancé in Myrtle Beach, SC. Who’s in your family? I have two boys and a fiancé who’s basically a husband at this point. My youngest, Grayson, is five years old, and my oldest, Peyton, is seven years old. It’s hard managing two boys, but it’s manageable. What’s…
Read MoreAmy’s Story: An Essential Employee During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Meet Amy, a banker with two teenage daughters who lives in North Tazewell, Virginia. What’s your profession? I work at New People’s Bank and I do customer service. I do loans and I dabble in just about everything in the bank. We have a stay-at-home order except for essential employees or groceries because of coronavirus.…
Read MoreSiairra’s Story: Raising a Child During the Covid-19 Shutdown
Meet Siairra, a stay-at-home mother who lives with her 18-month-old son and fiancé in upstate New York. What’s your profession? Right now, I’m stay-at-home mom. I was a manager before my son was born, but I left my job soon after I had him. The transition from manager to stay-at-home mom was hard. I moved…
Read MoreDavid’s Story: Only the Essentials
Meet David, a construction worker who lives with his wife and 11-year-old son in Safford, Arizona. What’s it like living in your town? I’ve lived in Safford for 12 years now. Before then, I used to live in Iowa, then Virginia, and then Seattle. Seattle was the best place. I was in the army there.…
Read MoreJosh’s Story: Trouble Affording the Basic Necessities
Meet Josh, who’s currently disabled and living with his wife in Oregon City, Oregon. Where do you live? I live in Oregon City in a low-income apartment. Compared to when I first moved in, nothing has really changed except now the economy is different. In our email communication, you mentioned that you’re disabled. Has the…
Read MoreInes’s Story: Living Within Her Means
Meet Ines, a financial coach for the community nonprofit IronBound, who lives with her three children and husband in North New Jersey. What do you do? I’ve been a financial coach for a little over a year. I work for a nonprofit social service corporation called Ironbound Community Corporation. It’s right up my alley because…
Read MorePrincess’s Story: The Glue That Holds Her Family Together
Meet Princess, a full-time college student and part-time caregiver who lives with her mom in Springfield, Virginia. How do you like living in Virginia? I really like where I live because it’s near where my family is and it’s also close to my college, George Mason University. It’s also near Washington D.C., which is nice.…
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