The year was 1997, November 24th. 

We had just arrived, and the very next day was Thanksgiving. 

We didn’t have much, and after spending most of what we had just to get here, our Thanksgiving dinner was spaghetti—simple but meaningful. 

My husband’s brother, Kevin, found us a small one-bedroom apartment in Patton Village. 

For $345 a month, we had an old couch that pulled out to a bed, a modest kitchen against one wall, a small bathroom, and a bedroom with a double bed. 

It was enough to get us started.

The next day, we were out searching for work. 

Our daughter, then 11, started middle school, and both of us began looking for a way to build our lives here. 

Two weeks passed, and still, we hadn’t found what you’d call a “good job.” But did we give up? No. 

We gathered our dimes and nickels for food and kept going. 

Eventually, I got a job as a cashier at the PX for $5.15 an hour, and Michael found work through Manpower, making $7.25 an hour at a factory.

So when people ask why I started Be The Change Inc. years later, this is why. I know what it’s like to start from nothing and to feel the power of resilience, community, and a little bit of help. 

That’s why I’m here now, dedicated to creating a community where everyone has the chance to get on their feet and make a difference.

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