Summer months have typically brought a 50% increase in the number of clients to NAM.
This year, our neighbors are still struggling to recover after the impacts of the pandemic - and deal with skyrocketing increases on the price of everything.
Now on an average week, NAM is receiving 150 requests for food and rental assistance.
There is a significant increase in first-time assistance applicants - the first time we have seen this many since the pandemic.
Who are the people turning to NAM for assistance for the first time in their lives?
“I have a job, a full-time job, but it's just not enough to cover things,” said Jonathan, a food pantry client. Due to the global price increase on food and fuel, individuals like Jonathan are coming to NAM, so that they aren’t faced with the choice of going without food while their limited wages go to gas and other needs.
Another person is Ronecia. When she was suddenly laid off late last year, she was told her previous job’s income was too low to qualify for unemployment benefits. Faced with the terrible possibility of losing her house, NAM stepped up to provide assistance.
“It impacted my life so positively. I'm not doing too well financially, so the help NAM provided saved my life. They really helped me so much, with food as well.” Though Ronecia has a job now, the months without earning income now means she must catch up on bills. Thanks to NAM providing rental payments for 3 months, she is now able to work her way back to financial stability.
Miravel, a single mother of three children - two who are diagnosed with developmental differences and other health issues - also came to NAM for the first time in need of help. She is on track to graduate as a medical tech, so that she can provide a better life for her children. She initially came to NAM for help with a utility bill, but after she was assessed by NAM staff, it was determined that she needed help with several months rent. “The impact that NAM’s assistance made is to help me to move forward and to graduate,” said Miravel. “Thank you for providing for us.”
Eviction rates are now at their highest since the pandemic . In a tracking project done by the Eviction Lab, the data shows that some of the top eviction hotspots in the Houston-Galveston region are in NAM’s service area.
Families just are not able to stretch the few dollars they have far enough.
We need your support to continue meeting the needs of our community - so that individuals like Jonathan, Ronecia, and Miravel can receive the assistance they need when they come to NAM.
