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Alexis’s life seemed to be crumbling beneath her feet. Her once-stable relationship ended, leaving her a single-mother to four-year-old son, Jordan. As she struggled to adjust to her new normal, a sudden health emergency confined her to the hospital for two long weeks.
Alexis found herself relying on friends and family for childcare, often paying them with the few dollars she had left. Due to her long hospital stay, she was unable to work and lost a substantial amount of income, pushing her to the edge of financial ruin. The day Alexis was released from the hospital and finally returned home with Jordan, they found a three-day eviction notice hanging on the door.
Alexis was heartbroken and terrified. She didn’t know what to do or where to turn.
Luckily, a neighbor of Alexis’s who wanted to help told her about findhelpidaho.org. After navigating the system, Alexis was able to find a lifeline; a United Way of Treasure Valley funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program. With the guidance of mediation-trained case managers, she was guided through eviction court and able to get her outstanding balance paid to avoid immediate eviction. You can’t imagine the relief Alexis felt knowing she was going to be able to keep a roof over her and Jordan’s heads. It was a moment of true triumph.
But just when her balance owed finally showed zero dollars, the next month’s rent came due. Alexis wanted desperately to keep her family housed, so she reached out to her case manager to seek additional help, since her most recent paycheck went toward paying the last month’s balance.
With support from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program staff, Alexis was able to pay her rent and get back on her feet for good. She could breathe easy, knowing she had broken out of the cycle.
Alexis shared, “We were not expecting this much help. I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for [this program] and having this aid for rent. I can't express enough how helpful this is, not just financially, but mentally, and emotionally as well. Having this help puts me in a much better situation to get my finances in order and to not ever be put back in this position. Again, thank you 1,000 times for helping us this month. We are beyond appreciative and grateful.”