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"Having a home for my family is fundamental.
This program will allow me to buy my
daughter the glasses that I have been unable to buy for her."
— Sunday Friends Mother
Working with The Good People Fund, Sunday Friends has developed the Rent Relief Project so that our families can redeem their hard-earned tickets for housing. Since October 2009, over 120 families have earned over $30,000 in rent relief, paid directly to their landlords, through their participation within Sunday Friends.
For all of us, one of the most fundamental basic necessities is housing. For the families of Sunday Friends, satisfying this need is especially difficult in today's economy. With the poverty rate now at 14.3%, the highest since 1994, the Rent Relief Project is even more important.
The positive impact on our families' lives is immeasurable and can best be expressed in their own words:
"I recently lost my job. I never thought that I would lose my job. It is very depressing, extremely stressful and very painful. About seven months ago my husband lost his job. Now he is working, but it is not enough for us to pay our rent and our bills. We find that we are always having to borrow money from friends and family just to get by. We are currently both actively seeking better employment, but like so many in today's economy we are not having any success. We have young children and it is very difficult for them to understand why we are unable to give them what they want and often times need. When we heard of the marvelous news about a special donor willing to help us with our rent we became very optimistic about our future. I was so happy I cried tears of joy. I never imagined saving all the tickets we have earned would result in such a gift as helping us pay our rent."
"My family is in great need of this financial support especially now after my husbands surgery. We have fallen behind one month in our rent and my husband is the only financial provider in our family. My husband and I have 3 children. I'm currently unemployed since I'm fully dedicated in supporting my children's education. I hope to be one of the families chosen to earn this rent money so that my family can catch up on our rent."
"My husband is currently unemployed. They have also cut down my days of work because I've had three surgeries and right now we are going through many economic problems. My mother was working as a caretaker for an elder person who recently passed away, which has left her unemployed as well. With the little I had saved I [through the Rent Relief Project] used to pay for my surgeries, gas and electricity bills and food. "
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