As a young mother of two small children, Kimberly grew up quickly when her own mother passed away at a young age. She had two younger siblings that she was now responsible for raising, along with her own two children
Living in the Roxbury home where she was raised, Kimberly did her best with the support of her family and friends. But it was not enough. She fell into a crowd that led to drug addiction. The family was evicted and moved to Dorchester.
Kimberly, determined to make a better life for her family, kicked her drug addiction. She took control of her life and started taking medical courses, and ultimately earned a Licensed Practical Nurse degree from Quincy College. Throughout her career, Kimberly worked at local hospitals, nursing homes and a drug detox center. However, working long hours on her feet took a toll on her and she was unable to continue working due to chronic knee pain.
In 2018, Kimberly received a Section 8 voucher but had difficulty finding a new apartment because of her poor credit history. She came to Metro Housing and was referred to Matt Gibson, who as head of the Green Space Financial Coaching program, set out to work with Kimberly to improve her financial standing.
“Kimberly’s involvement in the program got off to a rocky start,” says Matt. “She needed some additional help focusing on her financial goals. Today, her checking account is balanced, she has money in the bank, and is current on all of her expenses.”
With an improved credit history, Matt helped Kimberly apply for housing. She now lives in a new apartment in Brighton. Additional assistance from RAFT helped her pay her first month rent, security deposit, and purchase some basic furniture.
“I appreciate Matt very much,” says Kimberly. “He had such great patience with me and never passed judgement. Without the help of Metro Housing, I truly believe that I would be homeless today. I am very grateful.”
Help Metro Housing continue to help individuals like Kimberly. Please consider making a donation to Metro Housing to support the Green Space Financial Coaching program, which is supported in part by Santander. bit.ly/DonateMetroHousing
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