Season of Sharing helps young mom after car repairs and unpaid medical leave set her back

In today's working climate, sometimes people can have a lot going for them and still find themselves overwhelmed by a setback. That's when Season of Sharing can help.

For 25 years, Season of Sharing has helped thousands of people in Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Charlotte counties get out of a temporary crisis by providing one-time financial assistance for essential living expenses. It is funded through community donations and 100% of the money goes to local people in need.

28-year-old Sarasota-native Keindra Hall found herself in one of those crises recently.

Despite a good full-time job, money in her savings account, and a supportive family, Keindra wound up in a tough spot this fall after a series of car repairs and unpaid maternity leave for the birth of her son.

Keindra works as a concierge and security guard at a retirement facility while taking classes for a business degree.

This past summer, she had to draw down her savings to pay for a series of car repairs and rideshare charges to get her to work while her car was in the shop. That depleted the cushion Keindra was relying on for the weeks she would need off work after her son Rylen's birth in late October.

While Keindra had the support of her family and reasonable rent through a voucher subsidy, she still fell seriously behind.

"I didn't have any money left for savings," she said. "I was in a crunch."

Keindra called numerous agencies until she was referred to Season of Sharing, which helped cover one month's rent to get her back on her feet. As she bonds with her newborn son, she is focused on her recovery from childbirth so she can return to work as soon as possible this month.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 27 % of the private-sector workforce has access to paid family leave.

To Chris Russi, fiscal agent and liaison with the Glasser-Schoenbaum Human Services Center, the lack of paid medical or family leave for many workers exacerbates already precarious household budgets in the wake of the high housing and childcare costs in the area.

Even for people who have paid medical and pregnancy leave, there is still pressure to return to work as quickly as possible rather than take the time they are allowed, Russi said.

"A lot of them fear for their employment if they are out too long, even though it's part of the benefits that they are receiving," she added. "They start out with a strained financial situation, and that doesn't change while they are on leave. It can get more difficult."

To Michelle Stears, director of resident services at the Sarasota Housing Authority, today's employment, housing and cost-of-living realities present other pitfalls for young working families and parents like Keindra.

ALICE - which stands for asset-limited, income-constrained, employed - is a measure that represents the growing number of households that are working but are unable to afford the basics of housing, child care, food, transportation and health care. Often, these are families that are living paycheck-to-paycheck.

41% of households in Sarasota County fall below the ALICE threshold. In Manatee County, it is 46%.

"Season of Sharing, in my experience, has been especially important for families in this area who are looking at $1,000 to $2,000 car repairs to get their car back on the road so they can get back and forth to work," she said.

"When there is a major car repair, you feel it for the next couple of months," she added.

While subsidized housing through vouchers can help, Stears noted, families able to use one are vulnerable to the whims of private landlords who at any moment can increase rents beyond HUD limits, forcing families to relocate again and pay thousands of dollars in moving costs and security deposits.

And if the new, affordable place is farther from work – which is often the case – that puts more strain on an already burdened older model car upon which many working families rely.

"It adds to all these other challenges," Stears said. "It's a picture we see over and over."

For now, Keindra is back on her feet. With this bit of assistance, she can think about returning to a job she loves but also push ahead towards a business degree for her future. As a lifelong athlete, she hopes to one day open her own gym and wellness center.

"I'm very grateful for Season of Sharing," she said.