For Daja, getting connected with Good Sam meant the chance to give her son a better life.
For months, Daja was overpaying for the small, run-down house she lived in with her now 11-year-old son and was often required by her landlord to pay for things that were not her responsibility as a renter. With rent high and bills piling up, Daja started working overtime to meet the payments—and still, it wasn’t enough.
“I was drained. I was frustrated. I was kind of like all over the place,” she shared. “I was like, I’m working like this and all my money’s going to my bills … Where does it leave me time to save?”
She wanted to give her son a better life than she had, so Daja tried to find a home she could afford in Downingtown, close to a good school and her son’s after-school program. But nothing was opening up.
With her lease about to end and still nowhere to move, Daja knew she needed help and reached out to Good Sam.
She quickly found a friend in one of our resource coordinators and started the journey toward stability with someone encouraging and supporting her.
That’s when an apartment opened up at The Well—affordable living apartments owned and run by our partners at Hopewell United Methodist Church in Downingtown. Daja and her son moved there in May and their lives started changing for the better.
With lower rent payments, she was able to pay-down debt, pay off her car, and most importantly, spend quality time with her son.
“I feel like as a mom, especially a single mom … I was able to do so much more. I’m able to be more in tune with my son’s sports … different things like that. I [don’t] have to work as much,” she said.
The impact goes even further as she’s now able to take care of herself and her own mental health. With space in her life to go to the gym, eat healthier, and go on walks, her outlook on life has changed.
“I’m able to be a better mom because I feel better about myself,” she explained. “I [am not] walking around with so much weight on my shoulders. I can just breathe.”
With their quality of life improved, both Daja and her son can now thrive—and it’s in part thanks to the support of our generous donors. Every dollar you give helps people like Daja find hope for their future.
