Mary is a single mom.
She works long hours to make ends meet and supply for her family.
One day, her heating and cooling system broke down, and she was left without heat in the cold of the winter. Mary knew she had to get it fixed, but she didn’t have the money to pay for it! Desperate to keep her family warm, Mary started searching for HVAC repair services. She called several companies, but their quotes were too high. Mary was at her wit’s end, and just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, she received an unexpected, high bill from the hospital for her daughter’s recent surgery. Mary was crushed. Would she pay for her daughter’s medical bills or to fix the HVAC system? She had to choose. Mary had no choice but to prioritize her daughter’s health, and put off the HVAC repair work. Those winter weeks were brutal for Mary and her children. They huddled together, buried under blankets, and Mary could see the pain in her children’s eyes. They were cold, sad and angry. Helpless and exasperated were how Mary felt. Despite her best efforts, she could not keep up with her bills. She fell behind on her rent, and her vehicle payments, and eventually she and her children were evicted from their home. Mary was heartbroken as she watched her children cry, wondering where they would sleep that night. Mary’s story is a tragic one, but, unfortunately, it’s not uncommon. There are many hard-working single parents who struggle to make ends meet, and one surprise expense can be the tipping point that sends them over the edge.