Christina spent years working multiple jobs to provide for her children. She struggled to make ends meet and they fought to keep a roof over their heads, staying with friends and family whenever possible. At times, they lived out of their car, and she prayed daily for answers and clear direction with hope that was fading quickly.
Then she was connected to Foundation Communities.
“It was a godsend!” Christina said. “When I was told about all of the services, it sounded too good to be true!”
She was informed about assistance at the Community Tax Centers and decided to try it. She is now extremely grateful for the volunteers who helped complete her taxes, which were muddled due to years of homelessness.
“If I had not come here and utilized the tax services, I wouldn’t have known it was possible to file an itemized return after gathering everything over the years,” she explained. “The cost for preparing my taxes elsewhere continually paralyzed me and prevented me from taking action to get them done.”
Growing up in an unstable environment compelled Christina to strive for stability. She was one of 17 children, many living with her parents in a house without running water, electricity or a phone. Competing for food at dinner was traumatic, so she decided to quietly skip meals and do without. Home life was filled with turmoil, and the lack of parental supervision only allowed this problem to go unnoticed. She fell in love and married young to escape the traumatic environment and began building a family, having 4 children in eight years.
“My children brought meaning to my life and opened my eyes,” Christina said.
Christina only wanted safety and security for her family. Her husband would become violent when he couldn’t sort out his feelings, which landed him in jail. Christina was left to provide for her children, with very little support. The stability she had been craving seemed to have slipped away.
Finding Foundation Communities allowed her to feel hopeful in a way she hadn’t in years.
When she learned she would be receiving a tax refund, she was ecstatic. Christina tells people daily about the Community Tax Centers. With six locations, people earning up to $55,000 can have their taxes completed for free.
“The volunteers are amazing. They’re patient, thorough, and professional” she said. “Because of their help my family is able to believe stability is within reach. It’s empowering and invigorating. I thank God that I found this program.”
You can learn more about our Community Tax Centers by calling 2-1-1 or visiting CommunityTaxCenters.org.