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Heather's Financial Social Work Story

Heather (52) found home sharing in August 2020 and was quickly matched in September 2020. Heather’s home share match has helped her stabilize her life, having a safe and stable place to live, companionship, and gaining employment utilizing her social work degree. Before home sharing Heather was bouncing around staying with friends, never able to feel a sense of security to move her life forward. Heather was immediately attracted to the FSW program after hearing about it at the intake with her social worker. At her first FSW session the social worker discussed Heather’s past history with money, her challenges with money management, and her spending habits that were attributed to coping with larger challenges in her life. Heather had dreams of gaining employment, not needing to use the savings she had acquired in the past year, creating a budget, moving into her own place, increasing her credit score, and decreasing late fee charges she commonly accrued. Over three FSW sessions Heather has started to track her expenses and has created a monthly budget. The social worker also was able to go over Heather’s credit report with her, Heather has already paid off 2 of her 4 accounts in collections. Heather also gained employment and has started contributing to her savings account rather than taking out of it. As the social worker continues to work with Heather they will support her in building her credit and keeping up with monthly budgeting. When Heather paid off her first collection accounts she told the social worker, “I paid off two of the mid sized debts today! Felt great!! Just 3 more, 2 of which are really small so hopefully soon! Thank you so much for all your help!!” Through home sharing Heather has stabilized her life, therefore being able to tackle her finances and bring her financial security for the future.