As mom mends, finances take a turn for worse

By Mary Alice Blackwell

Published: August 17, 2008

I llness can devastate a family, emotionally and financially.

One local woman, who worked hard to help others, has found herself in such a situation.

Ivy Coe, a project manager at Creative Family Solutions Inc., knows the woman and has been trying to help her get back on her feet.

“One of our clinicians had a brain hemorrhage and had to have emergency surgery,” Coe said. “It was very serious and she wasn’t expected to make it.

“When I went to hospital to see her, the first thing she said was, ‘How are my clients?’ ”

The woman, who is the mother of two small children, has been struggling to battle back, learning to walk and talk again. Her regular daily routine came to a stand still.

“She worked seven days per week,” Coe said, “and she also was a part time college student.

“She is a vibrant, sweet, and confident lady. Not once during her recovery did she say ‘I can’t do it.’ In fact, she called every week to let me know that she was coming back to work.”

She has made good on her word. The woman has started back to work. But while she was undergoing treatment, Coe said, the woman was unable to keep up with her house and car payments.

“Her car was repossessed last Friday, and her home is going to be foreclosed on in the near future,” she said.

She tried to help the woman contact several agencies and churches, but “all of the services designed to help those in need reported that they could not help because they are out of funds due to the current economic circumstances.”

Social Services could not step in until she and her children lost everything, she said.

“Only then would she qualify for Section 8 housing vouchers or electricity,” Coe said.

The family is now living on $350 per month.

Coe said she is afraid that the woman is losing hope. That is why Coe has set up the Gift of Hope fund to try and help this hardworking mom get caught up on her bills. If anyone would like to help, please call Ivy Coe at Creative Family Solutions at 220-1461.

Reader’s response

Brandi Goff had excellent news to report. Goff, who works with Region Ten, was trying to find air conditioners for two local clients. When she went to one woman’s home, Goff said, the client had an old window unit that looked like it had been from the 1980s.

“It didn’t even work as a good fan,” Goff said. “She had the air on and the door open … it was so hot in there.”

However, concerned Daily Progress readers stepped up to make a difference.

“In response to the article, we received seven donated air conditioning units,” Goff said. “We were able to help both women and give units to other clients in need as well.”

Thank you all for making this a much cooler summer for our neighbors.