In this issue, you will learn:

• The questions we teach people to ask
• The insights and practices our financial coaching participants say helped them most
• The life changing impact of securing an ID
• The question that motivated Lindsey Drinkwitz to sponsor affordable housing

Knowing What to Ask

Here are some of the questions our HUD-certified housing counselors (shown above) and community volunteers teach their clients to ask:

For Renters:

• What can I afford? View our Does Your Job Pay Enough flyer.
• What does my lease say?
• What expenses will I have other than rent?
• What are the tenant screening criteria for an application? 

For First Time Home Buyers:

• Can, I afford it? View our How Much House Can I Afford flyer
• What will the closing costs be?
• Why is the person selling the home/how long has it been on the market?
• Does it need major repairs or renovations and what appliances are included in the sale?
• What is the neighborhood like?

For Estate Planning:

• What assets do I own?
• Are my accounts and property titled correctly to go to my desired beneficiaries?

For Home Maintenance:

• Have I created a maintenance schedule and checklist for my home?
• Do I know the life span of my major appliances and major systems in my home?
• Do I know who to call for repairs?
• What can I do myself and when do I hire a professional?

What Helped Me Most: Extra Mile Financial Coaching Participants

Jane Williams alongside Extra Mile graduate, Shannon.

Why did Shannon, an accomplished professional who had graduated from money management courses, enroll in our 16-week Extra Mile financial coaching program? Shannon said she was drawn to the individualized coaching approach where, over time, she could have the support she needed to change her attitudes and patterns regarding money. She said, “I did not grow up in a home where financial responsibility was discussed or modeled. My coaches gave simple practical advice, but what they said, I’d never been told before."

As Shannon reviewed her income and expenses each week, habits formed from childhood trauma emerged. She shared, “When I told my coach I had purchased 20 boxes of pasta because it was on sale, I realized this practice stemmed from a time in my childhood when my family did not have food in the house, and I was always hungry. By overstocking my pantry, I was ensuring this would never happen again. My coach suggested I buy two boxes and tell myself I had saved enough money to buy 18 more boxes, if I needed them. This simple advice changed my entire thinking.”

What new practices did Erin learn from Extra Mile?

Erin alongside Extra Mile coaches Burt and Barbara.

Erin shared that budgeting was new to her. “I was not big on budgeting before I started the program. I feel like my coaches gave me a good foundation about where my money is going and how to manage it. I benefited from having accountability partners. Just really being able to sit down with someone who is not personally involved with my life.” Erin said she paid off about $2,000 in debt and added $500 to her savings account while in the 16-week program. 

“I reached a goal through Extra Mile and now I am back in school studying research psychology,” Erin shared. She said the program has given her confidence she will reach more goals including paying off her car and other debt so she can eventually buy more property. “I feel a lot more comfortable with where I am at.”

Why did Monica enroll in Extra Mile a second time?

Extra Mile client Monica with her coach Julie.

Monica completed Extra Mile several years ago as part of her efforts to achieve stable housing. She has now worked at her current job for ten years and has set a goal of homeownership. Monica said she has learned so much this time about how to reduce debt and raise her credit score. “My coach has encouraged me so much and given me many new steps to take. I’m still a way from my goal, but I’m going to keep persevering and pushing through.”

Step One: Proving Who You Are

Love Columbia Coaching Specialist, Ronnie helps many people obtain documents. “It is so important to have an ID because it can open many doors for you like driving and obtaining housing," she said.

Without an ID, you cannot get housing or a job. We come alongside our clients to help them navigate the bureaucracy and obtain the various documents required to get an ID. Sometimes this means helping them apply online for a birth certificate, get transportation to a government office or pay a fee. It nearly always involves encouraging them not to give up. Here are three examples from the past month:

• A mother and her young child became unhoused and were living in a storage unit when we met them. A relative took in the child, but the mother needed to get an ID to begin her journey to permanent housing and reunification of the family.
• A mother with a high school daughter and a young adult working daughter in the home, lost her job, fell behind on rent, and was facing possible eviction. We helped her obtain a birth certificate so she could update her ID and look for jobs. We provided rent assistance and helped her secure two jobs so she could catch up financially.
• A mother with four young children relocated here from another state to live with her mother after her home was destroyed in a storm. She needed a birth certificate to begin her job search. After struggling to find work that synced with available childcare, she landed a job she could do from home. She is now working with one of our housing coaches to find her own home.

Love Columbia is a member of the Missouri State ID Access Coalition that promotes access to obtaining identification vital to moving forward in life. We received a grant from this organization earlier this year to pay for ID and birth certificate costs. So far in 2025, we have provided assistance for the purchase of 10 out-of-state birth certificates, 32 local birth certificates, three state IDs, and two driver's licenses.

"Doesn’t Everyone Need A Home?"

The Yawson and Drinkwitz families celebrate the Yawson’s new home.

This was the question Lindsey Drinkwitz asked as she described her motivation for sponsoring a home through Anderson Homes Foundation’s My First Home program.

Lindsey shared: “Our family moved frequently for a number of years, so our house was the only thing I felt we had any control over. Our home has always been a special refuge for me. Being able to share this space with our own kids by creating fun family memories, cooking together, and hosting out of town family and friends are just some of our favorite things we do in our home. It is the one consistent place we can always count on.

When we moved here and I started volunteering at Love Columbia, I became aware of how many people have tried to purchase a home for their family, but have not been able to, due to the increase in home prices in our community. There are so many families that deserve to be able to own a home they can raise their children in. I wanted to find a way to help these types of families. Thankfully, we found that through a partnership with both Love Columbia and Anderson Homes Foundation. 

Eli and I have sponsored two homes and now have plans for a third. The Yawson family was able to purchase our first sponsored home. We were so inspired by their story and have been blessed to get to know them over this past year. Philip and Alberta work so hard, and are so deserving of this unique opportunity. We look forward to spending more time with them and continuing to change lives for the better - one family at a time!"

Accessory Dwelling Units: How Some Are Stepping Into the Housing Crisis

Love Columbia is hosting a free class Saturday, July 12, featuring a local architect and builder to provide practical steps to add affordable housing.

Get Involved with Love Columbia

New Career Coaching volunteers (left) and Central Bank volunteer landscaping team (right).

Join the Love Columbia team by volunteering or making a financial contribution.

We are looking for volunteers to join our new initiative, Love Force One!

The Love Force One volunteer team is dedicated to providing immediate, practical support to Love Columbia clients facing urgent, one-time needs. We've already had four successful missions, helping neighbors prepare for inspections and supporting a mother in crisis, cleaning up a yard for mom of two special needs children, and quickly cleaning a Love Forward Homes transition house for a mom experiencing homelessness. 

To sign up, text LFO to: 573-260-1001