Beatrice
Beatrice, a 52-year-old originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, moved to Miami, Florida, in 2013 after closing her retail store due to the country’s unstable conditions. As a single mother of one minor and an adult in college, Beatrice faced significant challenges upon her arrival at Branches. Beatrice started her journey with Branches in April 2024, through the State of Florida’s appropriation funding awarded to Branches for providing violence prevention and intervention services and assisting participants with utility or rental assistance.
Referred by a friend, Beatrice initially sought assistance with rent through the Branches’ Financial Resiliency Network. She soon discovered that the Achieve Financial Wellness Programs offered much more than she anticipated. At that time, she was unemployed, dealing with identity theft on her credit report, and on the verge of eviction.
Branches provided Beatrice with critical support during this difficult period. “Branches has helped me in extraordinary ways,” she said. With Branches’ assistance, she managed to pay the $2,600 she owed in rent, which allowed her and her family to remain in their apartment. Furthermore, a Financial Coach helped her address the identity theft issue by guiding her through the process of disputing the fraudulent credit card account. This effort led to the removal of the false debt, boosting her credit score from 523 to 725.
Beatrice is now much happier and grateful for the support she received during such a challenging time. Her experience with Branches has been overwhelmingly positive, and she expressed her deep satisfaction with the assistance provided.
Looking ahead, Beatrice aims to secure stable employment and continue her journey towards financial stability and resilience.
