Brittany had lost all hope, then she met Sherrie
A few years before she met Sherrie Trucker, a Salvation Army caseworker, Brittany had lost the will to live. Plagued by addiction and depression, the single mother parked her car on the edge of a cliff and planned to drive off.
“I felt there was nothing to live for,” Brittany (pictured above) said. “I couldn’t deal with paying bills on time, showing up for work, and being the mother I needed to be.”
After calling her sister to say goodbye, police officers pinged her location and got to the cliff in time to save her.
Today, The Salvation Army is proud to report that Brittany is not only living, she's thriving.
Brittany's Path to Thriving
A year ago, Brittany walked in our doors and signed up for a Salvation Army mentoring program called Pathway of Hope. She’d just finished addiction treatment and wanted to use the program to help get her life on track.
Pathway of Hope is offered at Salvation Army locations nationwide. Participants are often recruited for the program when they come to receive Salvation Army services such as food, clothing, and financial assistance. The program provides free, long-term mentoring for families with children under the age of 18. Each family meets with a case manager, like Sherrie, at least once a week to set short- and long-term goals.
Brittany is no exception. She found out about Pathway of Hope when she stopped by The Salvation Army to receive financial help for car repairs.
“I want a career,” Brittany said at the time. “I want a permanent home for me and my girls.”
A career and home were ambitious goals, considering Brittany’s past. She had used drugs and alcohol for most of her life, hitting her bottom in 2015.
But, after hearing Brittany’s story, Sherrie could tell she was serious about changing her life. Sherrie believed that if Brittany could keep up her high level of effort and enthusiasm, she would succeed.
Now more than a year later, Brittany has met every goal that they’ve set together – and more.
I'm excited about life. I couldn't be happier. I have a whole army of support," Brittany said.
During the past year, she has kept her job at Dairy Queen and has been promoted four times. She has gone from working 20 hours per week to working 40 hours.
She has learned to budget her money and is current on all her bills.
“Before, my landlords were lucky to get half their rent every month,” said Brittany, who’s been using her newfound money management skills to pay down her debt – including a $7,500 bill that had been outstanding since 2014.
“I used my tax refund to pay that off,” Brittany added, with pride.
In April, she moved into her very own house. Previously, she and her two daughters, ages 2 and 7, had been living in a small apartment.
“I can’t believe I have a house,” said Brittany, who qualified for a brand-new three-bedroom home from Habitat for Humanity and received a zero-interest loan. “It’s just beautiful.”
Brittany accomplished another long-term goal this summer by getting a newer car that is more reliable. She previously drove an older SUV that is on its last leg.
Another positive: Her probation and mental health counseling ended several months early due to her profound, sustained transformation.
“My recovery has made me a better person and a better mom to my girls,” Brittany said. “I have motivation, I have ‘go,’ and I have determination.”
Sherrie is confident Brittany will reach any new goals she sets and continue to aim for the stars.
“Brittany amazes me,” Sherrie said. “A lot of people in recovery get distracted and discouraged. But not Brittany. She never said, ‘This is too hard, I can’t do it.’”
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