SVdP was the safety net a single mom needed
Sarah’s challenges began during the 2018 government shutdown. As a contractor for the Bureau of Land Management, her work as a receptionist and assistant to fire safety instructors had to be put on pause. With no income, she turned to gig work, driving for Uber and delivering groceries to make ends meet. From that same year until 2024, St. Vincent de Paul became the safety net she needed to keep going.
During the time Sarah kept afloat with side gigs, she also separated from her partner. Then, the pandemic hit in 2020, shutting down much of her work again. As a single mother with a teenage son, Sarah struggled to cover basic expenses, falling behind on rent and facing the terrifying possibility of eviction.
"I didn’t know how to tell my son we might lose our home," Sarah recalls. "I started mentally preparing and thinking about what I could sell, where I could store our belongings, and where we might go. Then SVdP stepped in, and it felt amazing to stop running through that checklist in my head.”
Through a recommendation from her aunt and uncle, longtime SVdP volunteers, Sarah reached out to the SVdP in her neighborhood, run by Vincentian volunteers and operated out of St. Helens Catholic Church. It's one of SVdP's more than 80 food pantries and neighborhood assistance centers across central and northern Arizona. Without being judged for her circumstances, Vincentians provided rental assistance and food boxes, ensuring Sarah and her son could stay in their home and have food on their table.
“It felt like an oxygen tank,” Sarah recalls “I felt relieved that I didn’t have to tell anything to my son anymore, we could stay in our home, and I didn’t have to worry him.”
Sarah later managed to secure a full-time job, but another obstacle came her way: Her health. Sarah was born with cerebral palsy, but years of dedicated treatment and intervention allowed her to live a relatively normal life. However, as she grew older, she developed debilitating migraines accompanied by vertigo and extreme fatigue—symptoms linked to endocrine issues that can arise in adults with cerebral palsy, forcing her to cut back on her work hours.
Sarah applied for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, but in the meantime while she waited for approval, she faced the daunting challenge of keeping up with her bills.
In 2021, Sarah qualified for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, a federal program funded and administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It allowed her to find affordable housing, but the weight of financial instability continued. Sarah had to made the difficult decision to send her son to live with his father in Flagstaff.
"I wanted him to have a normal childhood, free from the struggles I was facing," said Sarah.
After her son moved to Flagstaff, Sarah once again turned to her local SVdP pantry at St. Helen’s for support. The Vincentians listened with care and compassion as she shared her struggles, offering not only assistance with her utility bill but also practical guidance. They suggested she apply for an affordable energy plan, one that many utility companies don’t widely advertise, helping her significantly reduce her monthly expenses.
Throughout 2023, St. Helens Vincentians also provided consistent support by delivering food boxes to her doorstep each month, ensuring she had the food she needed during a challenging time.
“It was like seeing relatives,” Sarah recalls. “Every time Vincentians dropped off a food box, they’d come in and pray with me and we all got to know each other very well.”
In 2024, after a long and difficult wait, the Social Security Administration finally approved Sarah for disability benefits. With this support, she is now able to access essential medical treatment at Barrow Neurological Institute, helping her better manage her health. Despite her challenges, Sarah continues to work part-time for Peckham, Inc., a job that provides the flexibility she needs to accommodate her condition.
“What happened to me could happen to anyone,” Sarah reflects. “You think you’re fine, your life is stable, and then something happens. You never expect it to be you.”
Since the beginning of her crisis, SVdP has assisted multiple times when Sarah had gaps in paying for her rent, utility bills, and food. Sarah credits SVdP for helping her through some of her darkest moments and the Vincentians who’ve prayed with her and guided her.
“I realized how good it feels to know someone has your back,” Sarah shares. “St. Vincent de Paul removes barriers, they meet you where you are, deliver groceries if you can’t pick them up, and truly care about your well-being. It’s not just help; it’s a human connection.”
