In 2008, Nicole Reynolds and her daughter ended up homeless a few times and it really affected her. She became depressed and began not to pay the bills or do budgeting.
Reynolds with her daughter
Reynolds began to lose focus. She and her daughter bounced around from friend to friend’s house, hotels, and even slept in the car.
Her car was towed as well.
When she saw the eviction, she realized that she had no place to go. Reynolds was tired of living like this.
The resource officer at her daughter’s school learned about their situation and referred them to Family Promise of Northern Kentucky.
In March 2018, when they were due to be out of the hotel, Family Promise of Northern Kentucky called to offer help.
“Family Promise gave me the chance to prove that I could do better and be the mother I wanted to be,” Reynolds said. “With the help of Family Promise, I was able to get a grant to pay the balance I owed from my eviction and my outstanding utility bill. The volunteers were inspirational to me. They spent time with us; made sure we ate and played games with my daughter.”
After graduating from Family Promise of Northern Kentucky in June 2018. Reynolds found that the help did not stop.
“All of the help and support I received from the staff and volunteers reminded me of why I entered into Family Promise,” Reynolds said. “Upon my departure from Family Promise, I had a decent amount of money saved up. Although I am no longer in the program, I am still given help when I need it. I am successful today because of the constant support and help I have received from the volunteers and staff of Family Promise.”
Nicole Reynolds takes the keys for her car, courtesy of Gerber Collision in Southgate (provided photo).
Reynolds now lives in her own apartment with her daughter and receives very little assistance.
She relied on her car for transportation to and from work and to their appointments. The car broke down again and Reynolds decided it was time to let the car go.
She was constantly paying for repairs every time the car broke down to the point she was putting more money into a car that was not worth a lot of money.
Reynolds works in Cincinnati and needed transportation to get to and from work, appointments and to meet basic needs. She is able to catch the bus to work but she is late a few times a week due to the bus being late.
Reynolds had to spend extra money to be able to go to their family doctor appointments or to get her medication because a bus does not go to those locations.
Enter Family Promise of Northern Kentucky.
After hearing her story and meeting Nicole, Family Promise received a charitable donation from Gerber Collision in Southgate. Allstate and the National Auto Body Council also chipped in.
Reynolds was overjoyed when she heard the news that she had been chosen to receive the donation.
Reynolds is on a mission to ensure she is providing the best life possible for her daughter.
She started classes for her GED on May 20.
Upon completion, Reynolds would like to obtain certification for STNA or MA so she can pursue her passion for working with the elderly. She is currently a trained Family Promise of Northern Kentucky volunteer.
Family Promise of Northern Kentucky
