Ana’s Story
Montgomery Housing Partnership is working hard to provide quality, affordable housing to low and moderate income families in Montgomery County and offer the support needed to help them succeed. Today, we serve more than 2,800 households. Ms. Ana and her four children are one of them.
Ana is a kind, quiet woman, and her children mean everything to her. She is a proud homeowner, but you can catch a glimpse of worry in her eyes:
“Being a single mother is very hard sometimes. A couple of years ago, I thought I was going to lose my job because I was required to take some late shifts and my children are too young to stay home alone. But I needed my job to pay my bills and keep my house. I didn’t know what to do.
Just then I received a true blessing as MHP started the GATOR afterschool program at Arcola Elementary, and I was able to enroll my children. It was the only afterschool activity that I could afford. The GATOR program literally saved my job.
Just when I thought everything was great, I learned that my daughter Ercilia was being bullied at school. Another child teased her about her clothes. She felt so bad; she didn’t want to go to school. It just tore me up inside to see my daughter suffer.
It was a miracle to have the support of Ms. Gloria from MHP, who noticed what was going on. She talked to my baby girl and assured her that she was just as pretty as any other girl in the school.
Imagine my surprise when Ms. Gloria told me that MHP had found a generous donor who wanted to take Ercilia shopping. I was shocked at such kindness, and will be forever grateful to Mrs. Pascal. But more than the new clothes, Mrs. Pascal shared her own difficult experiences as a child. That helped Ercilia with a new understanding. After the time with Mrs. Pascal, I could see Ercilia’s confidence grow.”
At MHP, we are not only providing these families with a place to call home, but we are allowing them an opportunity to meet their basic needs and still have money left over to build a future for themselves.