05/29/2026
REAP director Odeth Berlin first worked with Ms. F more than 15 years ago, when she was renting an apartment with support from the HOC. She and her family graduated from the program, and by 2012 they had achieved something many families dream of—purchasing their own home.
For more than a decade, Ms. F worked steadily and was able to put her children through college—things were going well.
Then, in December 2025, everything changed. Ms. F suffered a back injury while working at a grocery store. She filed for workers’ compensation but ended up being terminated from her job, and suddenly the mortgage became difficult to manage. With a daughter in college and her mother-in-law living in the house, she wasn’t sure how to make ends meet.
She turned to REAP again, where we were able to cover her overdue mortgage payment, enroll her in SNAP benefits, and refer her to legal assistance to determine whether she had been illegally terminated. Ms. F is now working with her lawyer while reducing her monthly expenses and rebuilding stability.
Her story is a reminder that even families who seem stable can face an unexpected crisis—and that a little help at the right time can make all the difference.
