Ever wonder what happens behind-the-scenes when we get notice that we’re receiving a grant?  Well, our staff and our board get excited and energized to know we can continue to help families in Greater Nashua who are struggling. And sometimes we want to shout out loud,”You get us. You really get us!”

We’re looking at you, Santander Bank! Today we’re excited to share that Santander recently gave us a $15,000 grant for our Housing Stability Program. Their generous gift will go a long way to help families in crisis change their lives. As an example of how that gift can bring about lasting change, here’s a quick view of one family’s story. [Also be sure to keep reading below the story to learn more ways Santander supports our work]:

Family Moves from Crisis to Stability

Bonnie and James are a hard-working couple who rented a one-bedroom apartment for years. After becoming pregnant with twins, Bonnie was put on bed rest due to complications, which prevented her from working. The babies were born prematurely and required an extended hospitalization —  leaving Bonnie out of work even longer than planned. While James continued to work full-time, the family’s income had been cut in half.

To further complicate the situation, earlier in the pregnancy the couple had arranged to move into a two-bedroom apartment to make room for their growing family and their landlord had already re-rented their current apartment. Unfortunately, with Bonnie’s lost wages, they could no longer afford the larger apartment. The timing of all these events led them to the brink of homelessness — with two newborns.

When Bonnie came to the Front Door Agency for help, she and her husband were desperate to find a new affordable place to live until she could return to work. Through the Agency’s Rapid Rehousing Program, the couple was able to get assistance with a security deposit, rent and utilities. They will continue to receive rental assistance until Bonnie returns to work full-time.

From Bonnie and James’ story, it’s easy to see how one unexpected life event like a complicated pregnancy, can quickly de-stabilize a family financially. Even though this couple was working hard, they couldn’t overcome this setback without assistance.

Thank You, Santander

We are so thankful to Santander for making “happier endings” like this possible. Clearly, their recent grant is making a difference to families in Greater Nashua. In Santander’s case, however, they’ve gone one step further to show their commitment to improving the community: Since 2016, the bank has partnered with us to offer a FREE Financial Literacy Program to the entire community. They provide speakers with financial expertise and our Agency staff handles enrollment and all the logistics.  They get us!  They really get us!