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. That’s where she connected with Cathy, a Vincentian and the Financial Officer at St. Helen's at the time. It's one of SVdP’s more than 80 food pantries and neighborhood assistance centers across central and northern Arizona.
“Life is tough for everyone,” Cathy says. “That’s why it’s so important our neighbors feel someone is listening—that they’re not facing life alone.”
Without judgment for her circumstances, Cathy and other Vincentians ensured Sarah received rental assistance and food boxes, helping her stay housed and keep food on the table for her and her son.
“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 make 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, helping her significantly reduce her monthly expenses.
"I always made sure I left Sarah better than I found her on the phone," Cathy recalls. "We do that with all our neighbors. We stay on the phone with them, work together, and ensure they feel supported and heard."
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.
“Living with a disability is already exhausting—it makes everyday life harder,” Cathy says. “Now that Sarah’s been approved for her benefits, her health will improve, and she can focus on the meaningful parts of life, like enjoying time with her son.”
For Sarah, her experience has given her a deeper understanding of just how fragile stability can be.
“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 Sarah multiple times when she had gaps in paying for rent, utility bills, and food. Sarah credits Cathy and the St. Helen’s Vincentians for helping her through some of her darkest moments, praying with her, and guiding 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.”
That human connection is at the heart of SVdP’s mission and Cathy sees how much it can mean to someone in need every day.
“What we do is more than just assistance with a bill or a food box,” Cathy says. “It’s about restoring hope. Sometimes situations change and we do help our neighbors multiple times. But that act of support can give someone the strength to keep going—and in situations like Sarah’s, that’s often what keeps them from falling all the way.”
