The Millers came to live in a town in our 21 county service area two months ago fleeing hardship in Tennessee. They came here with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a hope to achieve a better life for their children and themselves. The mother, Gabriella, had just found a job but her husband, J.P., needed one too, in order to make ends meet for the family. The couple along with their three children were desperate to find a home for their family of five. A parish priest suggested they make an appointment at our local Emergency Assistance Center (EAC).

Although the Millers had several barriers, our case manager was able to refer J.P. to one of our community partners – a locally owned staffing agency. They were able to help him find full time employment. We were then able to assist the Millers in finding a home and helped them with their deposit. We also gave them groceries from our food pantry so their new home would have stocked shelves. To keep their budget in check, they are enrolled in our financial education classes.

The Miller family now has a two bedroom apartment they call home. We not only welcomed them into our ministry, we also got them integrated into the community. We gave them tools and resources to continue to improve their situation …along with the hope they had traveled so far to find for a better life.