Esther’s Story

“I’m very careful of how I spend money. I always remember to pay myself first…” – Project BRIDGE graduate Esther….

“I am now richer, wiser and have gained a family: a Britepaths Family.”

Esther came to us in October 2013 because of extreme financial hardships that unfortunately led to legal and State tax issues due to a bad business deal her ex-husband was involved with. Esther is a mom to three kids who lives in Fairfax County and works as a certified nursing assistant. The previous year, her wages were garnished, she had credit card debt, personal loans that were due, and was delinquent in power and insurance monthly payments. Since being on Project BRIDGE and working so diligently with her financial mentor, Greg, over the course of 12 months, Esther has paid off all her personal debts, learned how to negotiate with vendors to reduce expenses, and is more financially independent because she no longer borrows money from others.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV9P_zsAo7Y]

The confidence she gained working so hard with her mentor in learning how to negotiate and advocate for herself with vendors to reduce expenses enabled Esther to recognize in herself that she should apply for higher paying job positions with better benefits and education reimbursement plans. Esther is currently applying for those positions, and her determination and confidence will pay off and she’ll find that better job.

Her advice to future Project BRIDGE clients is that “they must be determined to stay in the program and try to honor meeting appointments with their mentor. They must follow the instructions of their mentors, be truthful while in the program, and must be careful how they spend and live. All these tips will allow the mentor to help them most.”

Esther adds, “I have also realized that by being truthful and being appreciative for all the help I had received from Project BRIDGE, I’m very careful of how I spend money. I always remember to pay myself first, my financial mentor always tells me that. I am now richer, wiser and have gained a family: a Britepaths Family.”