Hi. My name is Donna and I’m here to tell you a short story about how fast your life can change. In 2007 I was earning a good living working for an advertising agency. I owned my own horse farm and had money to live and do as I wished. I felt secure. I was looking forward to retirement and spending time with my horses and my granddaughter.

Then, 2008 happened. I was laid off from my job in advertising and no one was hiring a woman my age. I couldn’t find any jobs. I couldn’t pay my bills. I was devastated and scared. First I spent my savings, then I went through my retirement fund but I still lost my farm. It was foreclosed on in 2009. For the next 2 years I started selling off all my possessions – furniture, jewelry, riding equipment, even one of my favorite horses. Anything and everything to scrap some money together. I never knew one could go so low.

By now I had sold all my possessions and was living in my car. Everything I had left could fit in one box. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I was use to the comfortable life. This was no longer the good life. Then my mother and granddaughter were in a terrible car crash and had to be airlifted to VCU. The next three months I mostly spent in the hospital caring for them. I hit bottom. Hard. I came to Goochland in 2013 when friends offered me a sofa to sleep on. The only work I could find was occasional pet sitting.

People kept telling me about GoochlandCares, but I felt I wasn’t a person that needed their help. I could make it. I just needed time. I was too proud to ask for help. But I couldn’t get out of my hole. I was devastated, depressed and bankrupt. I felt hopeless, and sad. I couldn’t be the role model I wanted for my granddaughter. Finally, in 2014 I swallowed my pride and then found it again at GoochlandCares. They helped me with food, with heat and medical and dental care. They never made me feel less than. I felt that they were happy to help me out so that I could start over even at this late time in my life. Everyone was so nice. I found someone that was willing to take a chance on me and let me use her old house to start a business. It was scary at first with a lot of cold nights.

But with hard work, the help of friends and GoochlandCares, I have now opened a small business in Goochland. Hopefully soon it will go into the black and I can start paying myself. I know there are some people out there just looking for a handout, but there are also people like me who are willing to work hard to make a better life. We just need a little help. To be honest, without GoochlandCares, I don’t know where I’d be.