It’s never easy when relationships end. For Claudia, separating from her husband also meant separating from the business they grew together.
“Without that business, I virtually had no income,” Claudia explains. “I was looking for work, but I couldn’t find anything for a long time.”
At the time, she was on income support while caring for two teenagers at home and it wasn’t long before the bills started piling up. But someone suggested that Bissell Centre might be able to help.
Discovering a new way to receive support
“Aside from seeing the name in print, I had never looked too deeply into Bissell Centre before reaching out for help,” says Claudia. “I wouldn’t have thought to reach out to Bissell Centre on my own.”
Shortly after her first meeting with the Community Bridge team, her outstanding bills were paid. The team then explored her financial situation to set up a personalized monthly repayment plan that allowed her to continue living comfortably and supporting her children as they entered adulthood.
Uncovering a streamlined path out of debt
Earlier this year, Claudia proudly paid back her loan from Community Bridge.
“Looking back, it was almost too easy,” she says with a laugh. “The whole process was so easy and respectful. It feels great to have paid it off and to be able to pay if off. The monthly payments were low and realistic to pay off.”
Today, Claudia’s two adult children are in university, and she works a steady job. She keeps up with her monthly expenses and supports her children.
“We’re living comfortably and have a lot of high hopes for the future,” Claudia says.
Thanks to support from ENMAX, the Community Bridge team has been able to connect with folks at risk and prevent them from being evicted and facing homelessness. Last year, Community Bridge helped 678 individuals just like Claudia, with almost 100% of program participants repaying their loans.