Testimonies

Meet Sheila!

The REAL Life organization has helped us out in so many ways. We moved here to Denver during the summer of 2020 and the transition wasn’t exactly the smoothest. Our children struggled to get connected in school and we struggled to fit in with the community along with trying to find the money to accommodate the bigger mortgage that came with a bigger house and still being able to provide the basics for family life. REAL Life came and helped us by giving us the training on how to better manage our finances through the financial literacy program. They also helped by providing the needed extra items for school such as the backpack giveaway. Also the Client choice program is amazing to provide us with some needed grocery items that we were able to pick and choose what our specific family likes.

The Thinking Thursday program provided the community interaction that we needed to help our kids get further connected by providing a safe and laid back environment for community connections. I can’t rave enough about the Neighborhood Santa program that we participated in during the holidays. I strongly believe that the kids had the best Christmas ever because of the support offered through that program. Also the Parents as Teachers program is great. Tyler just loves when Ms. Deeann comes to visit and he gets to play fun games with her and me. All in all, REAL Life is amazing and has helped us really make our house hear in Denver a home that we all love!

Meet Joanne!

In June, 2021, my husband with Parkinson’s, Dave, fell, suffered kidney failure, and slipped greatly in his cognitive decline. It was a very difficult week to say the least. After leaving the hospital 8 days later, home health care started and Dave’s neurologist told me that his cognitive decline was greater than expected. He can no longer be left alone at all – needs someone with him 24/7.” I can still remember his words. I knew what I needed to do – quit my full time job as a preschool teacher to take care of him. It was all so very sudden and hard. Our main source of income would be gone with me quitting my job.

However, I had said ‘For better or worse’ when we married and meant it .My mom in Denver, PA told me to come and live with her for a while so I quit my job, sold our small house, and moved to Denver from Warren, MI with my husband.After we moved, we went to a local food distribution event at a neighborhood church and found out about REAL Life. I contacted them, and we met with Chris, a fantastic social worker who prayed with us at the end of our session which certainly meant a lot. She gave us a wooden cross as a small gift which reminds me of Christ’s provision for my sins and also provision for the here and now. Through Real Life, God seemed to say to me, ‘I will take care of you’. And He has!

The REAL Life gifts of food and toiletries, resources for health care and financial helps and other blessings have encouraged us so very much!Often in the very hardest of times, God enables you to see His care in remarkable ways. REAL Life has helped do exactly that! We will be eternally grateful for the blessings of REAL Life at a very dark time in our lives. I truly believe God had them there for us! A very heart felt THANK YOU to REAL Life and all supporters!!

Meet Donyelle!

I thank you, REAL Life Community Services, for all you have been to me and my 2 boys. I have no family around the area and I was needing help in some areas, to be able to get on my own 2 feet. REAL Life made a way for that! When I faced certain barriers they were a backbone and helped me in the best way they could! REAL Life helped keep me going, especially at times when I felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel! You guys were on my side when I came and began to search for childcare and a job, and now I have both.

Now I am able to support my family. My car broke down and with no transportation I was beyond stressed but they came together and I can’t appreciate the nice gentleman enough for BLESSING me and my boys so we can go back and forth where we need too. The love and the generosity and the open arms gives me beyond butterfly feelings because sometimes when you’ve been working so hard and you don’t have much support you never expect your village to be complete strangers that you built a bond with. My boys and I, thank you because of you all at REAL Life we were able to feel the love from your village! This car is GREAT!