MANDY

Mandy found herself needing to start over. She had made some mistakes in life that resulted in bankruptcy and then she found herself living in a halfway house. She thought all hope was lost, but knew she needed to move ahead.

Mandy had recently started working in the bakery at Publix. She enjoyed baking desserts and decorating special order items. To advance in the career, she knew she needed to go bac to school. Because of the bankruptcy he was uncomfortable with incurring debt through student loans, so did not know what to do.

She started with the Money Smart Classes offered by the Real Sense Prosperity Campaign and was referred to Family Foundations.

Mandy’s certified financial counselor helped to develop a budget that allowed her to save every month. Once she demonstrated she could successfully save, she enrolled in our matched savings program using an Individual Development Account. She set a goal of saving a minimum of $15 per month, but tried to save much more, especially when she overtime pays. But every month, she made a contribution to her account.

After 24 months of diligent saving, she was able to begin her dream of going to college. She is currently enrolled at Florida State College at Jacksonville, where she is pursuing a Business Management Degree.

Mandy continues to budget her money and save every month. She has set a new goal of owner her own business.