Randi’s Road from Client to Donor
Randi had been in a good place, growing up in Spokane, going to community college and then working as a surgical technician in Colville. She had married and they had two young boys. It was after her divorce and loss of her job that things came up that led to a ‘downward trend.’
When her boyfriend was forced to attend court-appointed treatment, this was an eye-opening experience for her, helping her look at her own dependency issues. This recovery community welcomed her in, emanating an idea of “Let us care for you, let us help you,” which helped her focus on getting to the root causes of her dependency.
Community Action Agencies are available to help residents in 99% of America’s counties with life-changing support. Many people just need a bit of a boost to help them get back on track. That is where Randi was, when she accessed support services, including SNAP, Spokane County’s Community Action agency.
Randi knew that she had to face her own reality. She recalls thinking, “I have to do it. I have to make the decision to ask for help.” She was then able to get help from various social service providers, including SNAP, which she now proudly supports as a donor.
Various providers helped Randi secure housing, counseling, childcare, food assistance, plus energy assistance from SNAP. She was constantly doing the math for her family – of the $390 she received per month, she had to cover her housing, phone bill, a bus pass, and more. Every dollar was crucial. Some days she ate less so her boys could have enough.
When one social worker at an outside agency questioned her ability to take on schooling with small children and no resources, her resolve only got stronger: “I had to go back to school. That was my only way to move us forward.” Randi received a nursing degree and went on to have a successful nursing career that is now winding down. She also has maintained her sobriety for over 35 years, as Randi realizes that her addiction could threaten everything she has worked so hard for, even after all of these years.
She now feels strongly about donating to many of these providers who helped her, including SNAP – “Everybody has a story. The help I received saved my life, and now I want to give back so others can use the services to get the help they need.”