HOPE Family Stories

"Hope of the Grand Valley has been an amazing opportunity that was given to us. We have met amazing people with Hope of The Grand Valley that gave us many new friendships and Many new opportunities to help get our finances on track. What we love best about of Hope of The Grand Valley is The Chance we are given to Fix ourselves and get help on learning how to pay debt off.


We were able to take budget classes to learn on how to pay off debt and save for things in the future. What's best about the classes we can take them till our hearts desires or till we feel we have figured it out. We were also given the chance to take cooking classes and learn about many different foods to cook when you feel that you have ran out of Ideas.

We were also given the chance to be involved with MOMS classes. The classes are always different but they always have some class to help you deal with a life stressor that you don't know how to handle or a Relationship issues and how to look at it in a different way. The best part is there are Many moms with different stories but are somehow all related in some way. When you feel that life is taking you down it gives you a Chance to look at it in a different way. No One ever Judges you in any sort of way and that's what makes me always come back.


Hope of the Grand Valley has become more than just a simple friendship, they have become family. The Opportunities are endless. The help is always there when needed. Hope of The Grand Valley is the hand that gave us the Help out and they can continue to help out when in need. Hope of The Grand Valley Is something I would recommend to everyone that is needing help."
Chanteal K

"I work for the school district and have recently moved into a new position. I am now an administrative assistant for the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education department. Miguel is an apprentice in the Millwright Union and has been for about 4 years now. He will hopefully be journeying out soon. We have 4 kids 3 boys and 1 girl and two fur babies that we adore!
We are so blessed and appreciative to be a Hope family. They have helped us in our hardest times.
We are working on trying to rebuild our savings and that has been extremely difficult this year. With Hope of the Grand Valley, I know that we are getting the right tools we need to get there. Not to mention the feeling of community we get. This is such an amazing organization. Someday we will be able to adopt a hope family!"
Shanaia

“I am a single mom of a smart beautiful 3-year-old I work full time and I am very thankful & blessed to be able to take care of the both of us. I have been a part of Hope of the Grand Valley since 2019; it has been such a blessing to my daughter my life to be a part of something so wonderful I have been able to meet & make new friends. I hope to one day be able to return the joy by providing to a Grand valley family in need.”
-Sabrina A

We are always adding more stories, so check back often.

"All the normal resources in the community weren’t available to me, a single mom of a toddler; who was working full time and still not able to make ends meet.


I made too much money to qualify for SNAP and CCAP, but I did qualify for Medicaid and WIC. Although I was thankful for every bit of assistance, that was a drop in the bucket compared to what I needed.


When I found out about HOPE of the Grand Valley for Christmas three years ago, I thought my son and I would be given a couple of presents; I was blown away by the generosity of the family that adopted us!!!"

"Taking the required budget classes help me see clearly that I needed to make more money to meet all of my expenses. So, I began looking for a better job-and I found one!! HOPE of the Grand Valley is a major reason I got the job!


The Mom’s group has been a fun and informative way to feel connected to others in the same boat as me. It is incredibly encouraging and empowering to know there is a group where I’m welcome just as I am.


Now that I have a much better job, I am able to build on the budgeting principles and begin setting aside savings; and I can come to HOPE of the Grand Valley to stay connected to others and be an encouragement!


I am now a contributor and I Adopted a Family for Christmas! I am so thankful HOPE of the Grand Valley and I tell many, many people about them!”

Sue Ellen

My children and I have been a part of the Hope Family for 2 years now. I have found that being a part of this group has helped me to see how different members budget their households.
This year I now have a spouse so learning how to budget with more people in the household has been very beneficial.
Hearing the different ways other family's save money has been a money saver for me also.
I appreciate how Hope of the grand valley has adapted to Covid-19 and starting to do meetings by zoom. I also really like the bond between the members of this group.

Marissa

I hope that one day I can no longer need the program and be able to donate or bless another Hope Family.




"My husband and I have two children ages 5 and almost 3. We are a very loving and hardworking family, but in January of 2017 my husband was diagnosed with a rare medical condition that required 2 brain surgeries to fix. He was unable to work any longer and we had been struggling before his diagnosis because he wasn't able to work consistently.


My mother in law had told me about Salvation Army and Hope of the Grand Valley, I looked into both programs but ultimately went with HOTGV because the mission was ongoing help, not just a one-time thing for Christmas."



I couldn't ask for a better program to be a part of and I appreciate everything that is done for the families of HOTGV.
-Rachel McFadden


"I applied and immediately felt surrounded in hope and love. My husband has not been working since 2017, and I make too much to qualify for food assistance. Christmas with HOTGV is amazing! It gave me great peace to know that my family was going to have an amazing Christmas despite us struggling.


Getting involved in HOTGV has been amazing, I have made new friends and my kids have made new friends and the support from Vicki, Robin and all of the board is just amazing!


No matter when you are going through they are there for you. The budget classes have been super helpful and it's amazing that they are offered. Budgeting is hard and having someone there who does it for a living is one of the best resources HOTGV offers. The monthly groups have really helped me and my family because it's time to just be and not have to worry about anything else.


Recently my mother in law passed away and I know the support I have from HOTGV is going to help me and my family get thought this incredibly tough time ahead of us.


I couldn't ask for a better program to be a part of and I appreciate everything that is done for the families of HOTGV. "


-Rachel McFadden

“I have four children. In May 2015 I was involved in an accident at work My back was injured and I was subsequently medically retired from the Mesa County Sheriff's Office. I have been worker's compensation since 2015. I have had 5 back surgeries with Sept 21, 2020 being the last one. I have been unable to go back to work in any capacity since my injury. My husband Richard has had to take off work to take care of me and the kids which ultimately led to him being unemployed.


I began attending meetings at Hope in Nov 2019. During the last year I have attended 2-3-part budgeting classes, cooking classes and many other self-help classes. I am learning how to be more efficient in planning meals, cooking with fewer ingredients and learning how to budget better so I am getting myself out of debt.


The group of people I have met through this program is so valuable to me. We gather and we are able to understand each other’s struggles. We bounce different ideas off each other and there is not judgement. It’s a comfortable place to be and I consider it to be a big family.


I am so thankful to this opportunity to be in an organization that is designed to better myself and my family.”


-Brandi

“Being a part of the Hope community has beneficial for Nia and I in so many ways. We have been a HOPE of the Grand Valley since 2019.


Prior to hope I had been recently divorced with a 3-year-old daughter and had just barely been in the home I purchased for about a year and a half. I was extremely lucky to have joined when I did; at the time I joined I was already struggling to make ends meet and shortly after joining I began having worsened health issues that put me on FMLA for a month and made work difficult even after I went back.


Later in the year my daughter also had a hospitalization and of course needing to be off work for her illnesses made things a little more difficult."


-Faith

"If it hadn't been for Hope, I most certainly would have lost our house during that time, after working so hard to get us a home in the first place. Having our own peaceful, cozy little home means the world to us and I am thankful to Hope for helping me keep that.


With Hope of the Grand Valley, I have been able to better understand how to budget, prepare meals and shopping lists on my budget, and it has also provided me with an outlet for stress relief because I don't feel like I'm doing it alone anymore.


The life skills discussed in the mom’s groups and relationship class and budgeting class are ones I wouldn't have had any exposure to otherwise. The Hope family is supportive and understanding and we share helpful information with each other constantly. There is always someone willing to help out.


Although this year we haven't been able to have groups in person, the Zoom meetings are great.The times that were meeting in person was fun for my daughter as well. She has always loved being around everyone at Hope and being able to interact with all of the kids.


I'm incredibly grateful to Vicki for creating this wonderful community and all of the wonderful people that make it the amazing thing it is, all year round.”


-Faith

More Stories to come!
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