Consistency is the Key: Reecy's Story
Hi! My name is Reecy. I am proud to be a graduate of the Ripple of One program and I’d like to share my story with you!
Before joining Ripple I was an emotional wreck. I was stuck in a place of constantly trying to please my husband at the time. I neglected my bills and took out loans to avoid verbal abuse which left me in a lot of debt and unstable financially. I endured a world of mental and eventually, physical abuse. I felt as if I was falling apart and failing as a mother. A lot of hard decisions were made to leave and the hardest one was letting my middle child stay with her father. After doing this and making more poor choices, my mother asked me to consider applying for Ripple of One.
When I started the program, my credit was shot and I thought I would be judged for not being more in control of my finances. It turns out, my Ripple team was nothing but supportive - they wanted me to succeed! With the guidance of my financial coach Jim, I was able to improve my credit, build a savings account for my family, and find a monthly budget I could stick to.
Within the first 6 months of the program, I paid off a major debt! This was a long overdue rent bill that was holding me back from getting my own home. I was then able to apply for an apartment and my children and I were finally able to have a place to call home. I also earned a ‘Driven to Work’ vehicle. My old car kept needing major repairs and I was able to apply for one due to my participation in Ripple and meeting my budget consistently. This was truly a blessing!
My mentor Teri, or “The Bulldog” as I call her, was my go-to in any situation. She didn’t judge me and if I needed advice she wouldn’t sugarcoat her answer. She was always there to get me back on track when I felt like I was falling off the deep end. She helped me to become stronger and stronger every day and I am forever grateful for our relationship.
After a year into the program, I was paired with a health coach. Gabi and I worked together to incorporate more vegetables into my diet, as well as setting goals around exercising consistently. This gave me more confidence, knowing that I was changing habits to help me become healthier! I still reach out to her today to get new recipe ideas and to chat about life.
One of my biggest accomplishments was enrolling back into school and finally finishing my degree. I applied to Anderson University and was awarded a scholarship through the Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP). I graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies in August of 2021. I am very proud of achieving this goal.
I am forever grateful for this program. It has given me and my children new opportunities that would not have been possible without the help from my amazing volunteer team and staff. After graduating from Ripple in 2020, I decided to give back to the program and volunteer as a graduate advocate. As a graduate advocate, I mentor incoming participants that apply for the program and encourage them throughout their journey as well as answering any questions they have. I also facilitated a few workshops, welcoming the new participants and educating them about the ins and outs of Ripple.
To those just starting their Ripple journey, I would tell them to keep an open mind and never give up on your dreams. Things may seem hard at first, but as long as you stick with it and continue achieving those small goals along the way, everything will fall into place and life will become a little easier!
“I am forever grateful for this program. It has given me and my children new opportunities that would not have been possible...”