When a death in the family made it necessary for Anna* to care for a relative's two young children, she thought she would still be able to meet all of her financial obligations. But after Anna's mother was hospitalized in critical condition, the situation became even more strained. As Anna traveled repeatedly across the state of Texas, acting as caregiver to her mother as well as the children she had taken in, she began to experience health problems of her own. On one of these trips Anna was involved in a car accident, leading to more medical bills as well as car repair costs. To make matters worse, the strain that caring for her family put on Anna caused her to lose her job. When Anna came to NeighborWorks® Waco, she was already four months behind on her mortgage and was threatened with foreclosure. A NeighborWorks® counselor referred her to 888-995-HOPE, the free, nationwide foreclosure counseling hotline. The hotline provided her with budget counseling, while NeighborWorks® Waco helped her negotiate with her lender's loss mitigation department, working out a modified repayment plan. NeighborWorks® staff also pursued assistance from other organizations on Anna's behalf, successfully pleading her case to other local non-profits, including the Salvation Army. With their help, Anna is on track to bring her mortgage current early this year. Anna has been able to keep her house, and her family now has hope in a stable future. < Back