Helping her disabled son

After living in her apartment for over a decade, Brenda and her disabled son, John, found themselves looking for a new place to live. Brenda’s apartment was nice and spacious, however the rent had been gradually increasing and it was getting harder for the two of them to manage the rent payments.

Due to Brenda’s and John’s health conditions, they were facing the decision of paying for their medication or paying the rent. Brenda decided to look for something more affordable and met a landlord who has participated in Lifeline’s Security Deposit program for many years. The landlord suggested that Brenda call to see if she and her son qualified for assistance.

Brenda had always worked hard to earn a living and support her family and the thought of going to an agency to apply for assistance was daunting and embarrassing. During the interview with Lifeline’s Housing Services Coordinator, Brenda found out that she qualified for $500 toward her security deposit. Brenda could not believe how simple and easy the process was.

“I am so thankful to this agency for helping my family and me during this time of need. I don’t know how we could have managed without it,” said Brenda.

Brenda was also referred to Lifeline’s HEAP office for the Summer Crisis Program, which helped her with a payment on her electric bill, allowing her a little more room in her budget.

Brenda and John have now moved into their new apartment and, although it is smaller than what she is used to, the peace of mind that has come from being able to make their monthly rent payments is priceless.