Heidi

Working as a childcare worker and nanny, single mom Heidi has managed to provide all the necessities for herself and her teenage daughter. But when Covid hit, her overtime work as a nanny and weekend babysitting, pet-sitting, and housesitting jobs dried up as people sheltered at home. It took a few months before Heidi realized that she was skating on thin ice. “Approaching the holiday season in 2020, I realized I didn’t have enough to cover December’s rent,” she recalls. She had seen signs for Arlington Thrive on telephone poles but wasn’t convinced she should ask for help. “I knew I had it comparatively good compared to others,” she says. But she recalls how nice the staff were and how easy it was to apply for rent assistance. She encourages others to make the call to Thrive even if they aren’t sure that they should ask for help. “I’d hate to think of the funds that are there and available not getting to the people who need them,” Heidi says.