"Without The Bridge Fund of Westchester, our family would have been out the street, and that's the truth," says Doris, mother of three. "At first we felt bad looking for help, but The Bridge Fund was fantastic.”

Doris's family got into financial trouble when a bus strike added $300 in transportation costs to their monthly expenses. Without a car, they had to switch from using affordable buses to more expensive trains and cabs to get to school and work.

"My husband took the train to work, and my two older children took cabs to school. My youngest son has asthma and an enzyme deficiency, and every time I had to take him to the doctor it cost me $70 round trip. It all became overwhelming and we got way behind."e;

With eviction looming, they sought help from the Department of Social Services and were referred to The Bridge Fund. The caseworker at The Bridge Fund negotiated with the landlord to set up a weekly payment plan, arranged for a loan to bring their rent up-to-date, and helped them set up a weekly budget to better manage their family finances.

The bus strike finally ended, but Doris and her husband now have the financial know-how to cope with the next crisis. As Doris says, "We are now back on our feet, managing our money, and things are much brighter."