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Natalie smiled as her 8-year-old daughter Sara ran ahead to talk excitedly with her friends at the bus stop. It was good to see her happy again.
Natalie lost her husband in a car wreck. He was the family provider and Natalie had no idea how to do it alone. A neighbor told her about MAM. She wasn't sure she could ask for help - she didn't even know what kind of help she needed - but she knew she had to do something. Natalie called MAM and was overwhelmed at how much this one place would help her. MAM not only paid her rent that month, but also enrolled her in the employment services program. She soon found a job and learned to deal with her grief after speaking with the mental health counselors.
Sara ran back to her mom and gave her a hug before climbing on the school bus. As Natalie watched the bus pull away, she thought about all they had been through in the last year and how far they had come. She felt at peace. For the first time in a very long time.
Read more about Natalie and Sara in part 2 of our story.