I Am Doing What's Best for This Family
Ellen had two primary goals when she entered Bridge of Hope BuxMont (Penna.) and was matched with Gwynedd Square Presbyterian Church. "I was in dire need of housing and employment," she says. "I left a bad situation with only my faith, my children and the clothes on my back."
"I was desperate, so I started working a 28 - 32 hour a week job at a drugstore for $6.50/hour. But the rent was $650 a month so you do the math!"
Rental assistance through Bridge of Hope helped Ellen make it while she looked for a better paying job. She now earns $11/hour scheduling appointments for an insurance company. Money is tight, but she stretches every dollar through her unwavering commitment to budgeting.
"I had to learn how much to spend and what is most important," says Ellen. "Now my philosophy is: if you don't need it, don't buy it! I have $60 to spend at the grocery store so I see what I can make with leftovers. Then I make a shopping list and find out where those things are on sale. It's time-consuming, but it's worth it! I don't go over what I have to spend."
Now that she has found stable housing and employment, Ellen is focused on a new goal: becoming a nurse. She started school part-time in 2006.
"I think God wants me to be close to people," she says. "It won't be easy, but I can do it. I walked out in 2002 with nothing, but look where I am today!
"My time in Bridge of Hope made me grow up. I didn't know all that I was capable of; and I discovered a part of me I didn't know existed before. Through it all, I've held on to my favorite hymn: My Hope is Built.
"You go down the road and take a detour. But you get up, dust yourself off and reach forward. With Christ, there's nothing I can't do. And I know I am doing what's best for this family."
