Who We've Helped
Below are a few stories of the over 100 women we have helped locally.
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Denise
Denise is a cashier in Red Bank who had to miss work due to caring for her dad with Alzheimer's
Chevonne
Chevonne was in the military and is now a fork lift driver and single mom.
Barbara
Barbara's application came to us from Bayshore Family Success Center. Barbara is a meter reader for a water utility company who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021. She continued working up until she had surgery to remove a lung in March of 2022. After surgery she underwent chemotherapy from May through September 2022. Barbara is currently in therapy to strengthen her lung and plans to return to work. BloomAgain helped her with a month's rent at a motel while she looked for affordable housing. She returned to work in December 2022.
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Giovana
“You are angels on earth,” said Giovana, BloomAgain’s 100th grant recipient. BA was able to pay Giovana’s utility bills while she undergoes chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer. As a massage therapist, Giovana has been having trouble working consistently due to the Covid pandemic.
Her cancer diagnosis on top of an autoimmune disorder has made her very weak and will further delay her work start date. “I did not want to fall behind on my bills. This is a huge stress off me.” Giovana lives in Highlands with her 12-year-old son who is helping to care for his mom. |
Alisa
BloomAgain was able to assist Alisa, a single mom, whose son suffers from Grave’s Disease. Her son’s frequent hospitalizations and medical visits have always been difficult to balance with her job at a doctor’s office. When the pandemic further reduced her hours and income, Alisa turned to BloomAgain. Our charity was able to help Alisa with her car payments and other bills until she could fully return to work.
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Melissa
Kelly
The Neilsons are a wonderful example of the kind of family that has received a BloomAgain grant. Kelly Neilson is a single mother of three grown children, living in Hazlet Township with her son Nicholas who has Type 1 Diabetes and Down Syndrome. While Kelly battled stage 2 breast cancer, mastectomy surgery and chemotherapy treatments forced her to take time off from her longtime job at a local school. The security she had always provided for her family was slipping fast when one of BloomAgain’s strategic partners recommended the family apply for help. “With this amazing gift from your foundation, I will have peace knowing I do not have to worry how I am going to be able to pay my rent.” When Kelly was approved for the grant she was undergoing her 33rd radiation treatment and setting her sights on a return to work. Kelly says BloomAgain’s assistance helped her both physically and mentally. She says she is now inspired to help other families facing similar challenges. “Thank you does not begin to express what is in my heart. When I finally come to the end of my treatment and build my strength back up, I will do whatever it takes to pay it forward.” |
Rosa
Rosa was forced to take time off from her full-time receptionist job while she battled breast cancer. Rosa's medical bills began piling up and she was having difficulty paying both her medical expenses and her mortgage. She was recently divorced and had to rebuild her home after Hurricane Sandy. Her small Union Beach house, where she raised her two children and now babysits her grandchildren, is her sanctuary. Rosa said, "I was so worried about the house and the mortgage. There was so much anxiety a bout making the payment every month." BloomAgain NJ's strategic partner, Love INC, a local faith-based initiative referred Rosa to our organization and helped her to secure the grant. Now Rosa can be more focused on her recovery and no her house payments. Through tears, Rosa confided, "I'm just so grateful that you were ab le to help during the most difficult time of my life so that I can keep my home and there is just one less thing to worry about." |
Are you Interested in Becoming a Strategic Partner?
We are always considering new partnerships. We work hand-in-hand with strategic partners that refer women who may qualify for assistance. Our partners are community-based organizations that can verify a woman’s income, work history and medical condition.
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