This time last year, I was living in transitional housing after being hospitalized for severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Homeless, jobless, and deeply broken, I believed there was no way out of my circumstances.

In May 2024, everything began to change when I started working with Wanda McDonald, my financial coach through Operation HOPE. Wanda taught me how to budget, save, and manage my finances with purpose. With her guidance, I stopped incurring late fees, built an emergency fund of $2,000, and learned the value of sticking to a financial plan.

This year, I’ve achieved milestones I never thought possible:

• Purchased a reliable car, paid in full with savings and family support.
• Paid off 12 outstanding debts, often negotiating reduced balances.
• Earned the highest income of my life through hard work and overtime.
• Renewed my lease for the second year with plans for no late payments in 2025.
• Budgeted for my first-ever trip and stayed within my spending plan.
• Contributed a special $150 offering to my church and began sponsoring a child in Africa.

My journey from hopelessness to stability has been nothing short of a miracle. Thanks to Operation HOPE, Coach Wanda, and my faith in God, I’m proof that no matter how dark life seems, all things are possible.

Merry Christmas to me—and to anyone who believes in the power of hope!

Jennifer S. Collins, Credit Coaching Client, HOPE Inside First Horizon Bank (Orange Mound) Memphis, TN