Stephanie

Welfare

When Stephanie first came to The Salvation Army she was in debt up to her eyeballs.

‘I was in major debt and was not coping,’ says Stephanie. ‘The bills got out of hand and when I borrowed money from a debt collector thinking that would help me get out of debt, things just got worse. People kept calling to get their money.’

With a mountain of debt and a never-ending stream of new bills coming in Stephanie realised that she couldn’t manage by herself and sought help from her local Salvation Army Community Ministries office. A budget advisor assessed Stephanie’s financial situation, helped prepare a workable budget and kept her on track through regular meetings. The advisor also contacted Stephanie’s creditors and negotiated with them about the debt.

Stephanie received food parcels to tide her over the rough patches when there just wasn’t enough money in the kitty to feed her children.

‘Things like school uniforms, school books or school trips always popped up and brought me down, but I always felt I could come to the Sallies for help.’

Stephanie says that the encouragement and support she received along the way made a big difference and after a number of years she has now cleared her debts. Stephanie’s budget is still tight, however, and she continues to get budget advice to keep her on track.

‘If it was not for the Sallies I would still be struggling. They really are there for you and always know how to help. They are incredible people.’