*Mindy is focused on getting her new career in real estate off the ground. But life has thrown her some curveballs.
“My car was stolen in December, right as I was trying to get my real estate license which wasn’t cheap. Life was just lifin’. It felt like I couldn’t get ahead,” she said.
She fell behind on rent and was being threatened with eviction. In desperation, she reached out to United Way of Greater Kansas City’s 211 helpline.
“They were really great and got me connected to legal aid. Both the attorneys I worked with were excellent,” Mindy shared. “And the United Way case worker, Sonia, was incredibly supportive and helpful.”
Since 2020, United Way’s eviction prevention initiative has worked to provide financial and legal assistance to households to keep individuals and families from losing their homes. United Way 211 also helps Kansas City, Mo. residents who qualify to apply for the city’s Right-to-Counsel Program. Last year, these efforts served nearly 1600 households. Since the program began, more than 7,000 households have been supported through these efforts.
While the situation was incredibly stressful for Mindy, she says United Way’s team helped put her mind at ease.
“I’m just very grateful I was able to receive assistance and look forward to being able to pay it forward one day,” she said. “It was definitely something that could’ve been a major setback. But this whole process was able to just give me that extra push to keep moving forward and striving toward my goals.”
Now, Mindy’s rent payments are caught up and her eviction order lifted. It makes the career she’s embarking on to help others find the comfort and safety of a home even more meaningful now.
“I’m really thankful for the giving heart of others. I have a giving heart myself. I just haven’t been able to give in the way I want to,” said Mindy. “But I’m excited for what’s to come, and know I’ll be making a difference by helping families find their homes and hopefully giving back to the community in the process.”
*Client’s name has been changed to protect their identity