Bonnie CLAC

Nate’s Story

Nate is a Native American who was frank with Bonnie CLAC about his lifelong struggle with alcohol. He had been homeless and trying to get sober when the tent he was living in caught fire and he was seriously burned. His medical bills were staggering. He spoke with us about his readiness to gain financial and health stability so he could move forward with his life.

By the time he enrolled with Bonnie CLAC, Nate had gotten a job as a busboy at a Friendly’s restaurant, but desperately needed transportation. He started work on his “Steps to Success,” which included financial literacy training and credit repair.

He was placed in a Bridge car and proved to be an excellent student in his Financial Fitness class. By the end of the class, he had been promoted to a higher paying position and was using his Bridge car to attend job-related management training.

With Bonnie CLAC’s help, Nate’s life transformation has been profound with demonstrated lasting effects. Nate continued to work on his substantial medical debt, and graduated the program into his own new car in October of 2006, about a year after he started. Nate has also stayed sober since he enrolled with Bonnie CLAC. He is now the store manager of the Friendly’s restaurant in North Lebanon, New Hampshire and is line to get a District Manager position.

Ashlie’s Story

Ashlie is a young single mom of two children who lives with her parents and extended family. She came to Bonnie CLAC desperately needing reliable and affordable transportation of her own, since she works three jobs and has frequent medical appointments with her children.

A first time buyer with minimal credit, Ashlie enrolled with Bonnie CLAC in October, 2008. Ashlie has since graduated from FinFit and saved over $1,000 toward purchasing a new car.

Bonnie CLAC programs have been instrumental in transforming Ashlie’s financial and family health. Ongoing counseling and FinFit became the catalyst in helping Ashlie break her family’s cycle of generational poverty.

Ashlie’s dream of financial independence was realized this January when she became the proud owner of a new Toyota Yaris and was able to move out of her parents' home and into her own apartment.

Lynn’s Story

Lynn has a degree in social work. She had a successful career and home in Boston complete with an on-time mortgage, a car loan that she paid off early, investments and mutual funds. Her ordered life went into a tailspin due to alcohol abuse, and within a few years, she had spent down her assets and defaulted on her financial obligations. When she heard about Bonnie CLAC she was in a half-way house in Vermont completing her alcohol recovery program. She had a low-paying job at a bookstore to which she traveled by bicycle, even through a cold and inclement Vermont winter.

When Lynn enrolled with Bonnie CLAC we were able to get her into a Bridge car that allowed her to eventually get better employment. Repairing Lynn’s credit was key to securing her road to financial and health recovery. When she came to us she had no checking account and no savings account -- no relationship with any banking institutions other than the one she described as "looking" for her. One year later, she has rehabilitated her health and financial situation, has purchased a car of her own and has secured employment in her field of social work as a substance abuse counselor.

JulieAnn’s Story

JulieAnn’s life began to unravel after a divorce forced bankruptcy and her car was repossessed. As a single mom JulieAnn had to juggle getting to school activities, work and shopping while also dealing with ongoing health issues. Every day was a struggle, beginning with a two-mile walk just to catch a bus to the first of two jobs.

JulieAnn heard about us through her main employer, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) where she works as a clinical secretary. DHMC is a major Bonnie CLAC partner. JulieAnn’s lack of transportation was impacting her job and creating additional health issues. And without a car it was virtually impossible to get to her second job, which continued her financial spiral.

Once enrolled at Bonnie CLAC JulieAnn was put into a Bridge car which provided reliable transportation for both jobs as well as family needs. JulieAnn recently completed FinFit with more than 100 percent increase in her financial fitness score and is now on the path to financial stability.

Sean’s Story

Sean came to the U.S. from Jamaica as a refugee seeking political asylum. Sean’s life was in danger and he was very vulnerable. A church in Worcester, Massachusetts became the foundation of his new life. They found work for Sean but he lacked the needed transportation.

Unfortunately as a refugee Sean had no credit history and was unable to get a car. His church pastor stated the situation succinctly, “Having NO credit is worse than having bad credit,” and turned to Bonnie CLAC’s new office in Lowell, MA for help.

Sean enrolled with Bonnie CLAC and has a reliable Bridge car for transportation. Through the Bridge program Sean is able to build a positive credit history. He is also doing very well in Bonnie CLAC’s FinFit program, where he is gaining the necessary skills to be successful for his new life in America.

Monique’s Story

Monique hit rock bottom when her former husband mismanaged the family finances and drove them into a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

Following her divorce, Monique struggled to raise her three children as a single mom deep in debt with limited income possibilities. She vowed that she would never go through the humiliation of declaring bankruptcy again and that she would always take care of family finances in the future. However, the lack of reliable transportation always threatened her family’s stability.

Monique enrolled in the IDA program in May 2006. The program provides matching funds for car down payments. Monique then enrolled in the FDIC Money Smart Program May 2008 to complete her financial education requirement for Bonnie CLAC and her second year with the IDA program.

The combination of federal programs and local financial fitness counseling turned the corner for Monique. By late 2008 she had accumulated a savings balance of just over $8,000 which includes her savings and that of the IDA program match. Monique’s new Honda sedan is proof of her financial transformation and achievement of a sustainable, greatly improved family future.

Kathy & Randall’s Story

The parents of three teenagers, Kathy and Randall turned to Bonnie CLAC when their economic stability was severely damaged by a life-threatening health crisis. Randall’s health had failed to the point where he required open-heart surgery.

As a result of Randall’s health crisis their family business failed, their good credit was severely damaged and they lost their two family vehicles. Not having a car dramatically impacted their ability to keep medical appointments and find new employment. They came to Bonnie CLAC to repair their credit and get reliable transportation for their family of five.

Kathy and Randall worked hard to rebuild their previously good financial standing while Randall recovered from his medical crisis and returned to work. Bonnie CLAC’s Bridge Car program helped get them through the crisis while they completed Bonnie CLAC’s FinFit, Savings and customized Credit Cleanup programs. They have since been able to purchase a nearly-new Toyota Camry through Bonnie CLAC that addresses the needs of their family.