For six-year-old Amani, life has never been better. It is amazing the difference a year made for her brother, Amari, and mother, Destiny. Just a year ago, they did not have a home to call their own. Amani noticed her mom’s struggle as a single mother of two – a young woman working full-time, attempting to take college courses and struggling to make ends meet. To make matters worse, their car always seemed to be breaking down at the worst possible moments, which made everyday tasks, such as getting to school on time, a challenge.

Then, in early summer of 2019, an unexpected opportunity came their way. At church one Sunday, they learned about One More Child Single Moms and its residential program in Tallahassee, FL. Seeing an opportunity to establish financial security, self-sufficiency and greater stability for herself and her children, Destiny applied. Soon after, the family moved into a home on the Tallahassee campus, and within a few short months, Amani began to notice something new about all of them – they were thriving in this new environment.

Amari had been acting out at home and school, but was now was behaving better, thanks in large part to the parenting support her mom was receiving at Thursday night skills classes. They were praying together more as a family, cooking more meals with each other, and her mom seemed happier. With the budgeting skills, mentorship and coaching she gained through Single Moms, Destiny was paying down debt, saving money to purchase their first home, excelling at work and speaking confidently about the future for the first time in a long while.

Amani didn’t think things could get much better until they did, when just a few weeks before Thanksgiving, Geico® blessed their family with a 2018 Jeep Compass through its Recycled Rides program. Finally, they had a dependable car! More importantly, they had a renewed sense of hope in the incredible community that surrounded them with support and gave them a jump-start to a life of self sufficiency and faith.

*Actual name is changed for confidentiality purposes