“Due to a medical issue/accident that my husband had and with the loss of my job, my home was placed in foreclosure. We had little to no income and my mortgage company referred me to TRI-CAP’s Foreclosure Prevention Services. The Housing Counselor at TRI-CAP did a wonderful job assisting me through the entire process. They truly make it easy, painless, and never made me feel ashamed. It is exceedingly difficult for me to accept help or admit that I need help. TRI-CAP’s Housing Counselor was always prompt with all responses and updates while answering any questions I had. I cannot thank everyone enough for their help and kindness during this difficult time for my family. We can now stay in our home thanks to TRI-CAP’s Foreclosure Prevention Services!”
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“My counselor was so helpful, and the program has helped my family tremendously after my heart attack. The program saved everything I’ve been working for my entire life. So, I give this program and TRI-CAP a five-star rating!”
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“My family was approved for the Individual Development Account (IDA) Program and we are truly grateful for this program. We were able to meet our savings goal and matched money on what we saved. We were able to use the money to help with the cost of updating wiring and with running sewer lines in our older home which was much needed. Thank you for this program!”
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“I would like to thank TRI-CAP for their Foreclosure Prevention Services they offer along with the housing and finance counselor. Without this service, my home would have been foreclosed and I would be homeless. I was laid off from my job unexpectedly that I worked at for several years. TRI-CAP’s housing and finance counselor was very knowledgeable, timely, and friendly in helping me work through the process of saving my home. Thank you for all you did for me!”
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A client’s comments on how TRI-CAP’s Foreclosure Prevention Services helped them:
“No words can explain how wonderful this program is. I am so thankful for everything TRI-CAP and this program has done to help me save my home. This program is a MIRACLE! I was about to lose my home after my husband of 30 years passed. I didn’t know what I was going to do raising my great grandson since birth. This has been a miracle for both of us. I would be living in a different world if it wasn’t for this program, Hardest Hit Funds. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
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This success story comes from a client that benefited from TRI-CAP’S Individual Development Account Services:
My family and I moved into a home that was built in the late 1940’s. Not long after we moved in, I noticed that I was tired and not feeling well and my children began suffering from allergies, ear issues, and the constant cough/runny nose. After many trips to a specialist, my then 18-month-old son was diagnosed with allergies and asthma. I began to search the home trying to figure out why we were suddenly ill all the time only to realize that the basement was full of mold. Our furnace was in the basement, so it was circulating the mold through the house. I worked vigorously trying to correct the problem only to find that it was not an easy task to take on. The mold grew back, and I felt powerless. I had an IDA account established and considered updates on the house but quickly realized that it was not something that we were prepared to take on.
We began the search for a new home. We decided that we wanted to give our children a “forever home” and a yard to play in. We knew that we needed something that was safe and that offered a healthy environment for our family. I took a Home Buyers Education Class and worked tirelessly to ensure that my credit was cleaned up. I paid off old debts I had tried to escape and couldn’t. Finally, I found the home that I knew was meant for me and my very large family. I was grateful that I had the TRI-CAP Individual Development Account when I was informed that we needed to pay for appraisals and closing costs. Those expenses were taken care of through the IDA. I was able to issue a cashier’s check to cover the closing costs from my IDA account.
I know that without the IDA account, we would not have been able to come up with the closing cost that was needed to secure our home. We have a large family and practically live from paycheck to paycheck. The IDA allowed us to make a positive move in the right direction for ourselves and our family. We have recently gone back to our allergy specialist who cleared my son’s allergies and asthma diagnoses and the rest of the family have seen a great improvement in the way we feel. We are grateful for such a wonderful program!
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Letters from clients who used TRI-CAP’s foreclosure prevention services:
“I am writing this for my son, and it’s hard to put into words how we feel. If my son had not gotten help from you, I’m not sure he would be here now. Although the paperwork was pretty intense, our counselor was so patient and kind when helping us with it. They were always quick to respond when we had questions. Your program has helped put my son back on stable ground. God bless you and your staff.”
“I am very happy with the services TRI-CAP and this program has provided. Due to this program I am able to stay in my home and survive without losing my home. My counselor was very helpful in getting information to me in a timely fashion. I was very close to being foreclosed on so this was important to them as it was me. I appreciate all the help they did for me. I have also told people about this program. This is a great program and I am very blessed. Thank you and be blessed.”
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This client success story goes full circle with three of the programs TRI-CAP offers. It started with a parent having a child enrolled in the Head Start Preschool Program. The parent had a family development meeting with their Family Advocate. During that meeting the family advocate referred the parent to the Individual Development Program, (IDA). The parent had reached out to the IDA Administrator. They discussed what the program was and how it may benefit her to save for an asset goal purchase. The parent stated they have rented for several years and always wanted to someday be a homeowner and have a place to call “home”. This program would help her to save for her first home purchase. She applied for the IDA program and was approved. She met her savings goal of $1000.00 within two years and was matched $4000.00 with federal and state funds. She also completed 8 hours of financial literacy training along with a home buyer education course. During this time we discussed her loan options for buying a home and the USDA 502 Direct Home Loan was what she chose. It fit her situation the best. TRI-CAP worked with her on packaging her loan and applying through USDA. She was approved and is now a proud homeowner. She was happy to be able to keep her children in the same schools they attended before. She was a dream client. Very prompt in gathering documents and always appreciative of those working on her behalf. She is in a home with an interest rate of 3.125% and is building equity and wealth for her and her children. This is truly a success story for this person and illustrates how each department within TRI-CAP works together to best meet each of our clients’ needs.
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“I had a health-related set back that snowballed into a predicament that was going to cause me to lose my home of 30 years. This is a home I aspired to have about 50 years ago, and I have some prominence in the community for being in this historic 126-year-old home. My career is based on historic preservation, renovation, and time investment into sustaining viable urban neighborhoods. Without the HHF assistance my life’s efforts would have been destroyed.
I can testify that many others feel this program serves a fundamentally powerful purpose that should remain available to those that are hit the hardest.
I can compare this program as one of my life’s most transformative in the best degree of full appreciation. I hope others benefit just as perfectly as this program is designed.
Thank you!”
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This success story comes from a client that benefited from TRI-CAP’S Individual Development Account Services:
“Approval of my application to qualify for the IDA (Individual Development Account) Program was beyond my dreams. The service provided by my assigned TRI-CAP counselor provided every element of professionalism necessary to address the extensiveness of the application process. Because of my hardship, I was already feeling exceedingly overwhelmed mentally and physically. The extent of the application process would make me think most potential applicants would feel bogged down and abandon the effort. My counselor provided the appropriate encouragement by guided measures to make my life and home saving final resolution possible.
The speed of the program over all impressed me. When my counselor said 30-45 days to determine eligibility, I was concerned if this was accurate. From my express mail submitting of packet to TRI-CAP’s e-mail notification of approval it was just 34 days. Everything my counselor said was always very accurate. From my initial request for services to every phone call or message left, each was promptly responded to beyond what is symbolic of other agencies.”