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At Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center, our staff know that serving others is a privilege. The rewards are great when a family is helped not just with their temporary hardship, but with finding solutions that change the trajectory of the future. That was the case with single mother Ashley, referred to FACE by the Urban League for assistance with rental support. She fell behind on her rent as a result of struggling with seasonal depression and was facing eviction.
After completing an intake questionnaire, Ashley was assigned to Lead Family Coordinator, Deja Hardaway and enrolled in the FACT (Families and Communities Teaming) program. She met with Deja weekly via zoom to talk over her goals and options. She described Deja as her “go-to person” and her “accountability partner”. Ashley says that being able to talk it out was a great benefit to her and gave her the mental clarity she needed to address her situation. After completing and receiving her certificate of graduation from the FACT program, Ashley has been able to take several positive steps to progress her employment and increase her income. Ashley also worked with FACE’s Mental Wellness services to successfully enroll her 9-year-old daughter in therapy and to connect her to extracurricular activities.
Ashley reports that her daughter is doing really well, taking guitar lessons and participating in a golf program.
Ashley says that she is glad that Macedonia FACE is faith-based as she is grounded by her faith. While she is still working towards reaching her goals, she feels it was necessary for her to take the time for herself and become more self-sufficient. She is grateful for the support she received, and she recommends to other families, “Don’t wait until you are up to your ears in problems and exhausted. It is essential to speak it out!”
If you know a family that is experiencing hardship, encourage them to contact Macedonia FACE at 412-281-2573 or visit www.macedoniaface.org for more information.
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