Leonna Lowe had to swallow her pride to ask for help. But the single mother of three is happy she did, and today is making the most of the emotional and financial support. She had lost her job and the family had been couch hopping. The home they were living in was not safe for her children, and she knew she needed to secure a new home for them as well as employment.

Finding Help

When she came into the Burnsville Family Resource Center, she was seeking any resources that might put her on the right track. That is when she met Financial Support Worker Sophia Bond. 

“The first thing I did was listen,” said Bond, “Leonna is very strong and motivated. There is nothing she won’t do for her kids.” Sophia immediately set to work helping Leonna find a home and secure funds for first month’s rent and deposit. She also connected her with the healthy food options at the Burnsville Food Shelf and employment help at the Dakota County Workforce Center.  Leonna landed a full-time job at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and an affordable town home in Lakeville for her family.

Developing Friendship

“Sophia really became more of a friend. She has always been friendly, and she’s always helped me. Every time we speak the first thing she asks is, ‘How are your kids?’ And that makes me feel good because she’s not just thinking about me, but my family.” 

In addition to her job, Leonna is in school working toward an accounting degree.  Her life is busy as she juggles her responsibilities to keep on track with her goals, but Leonna is driven to establish an accounting career and provide a better life for her children. “I work 40 hours. Get on the computer, do my homework. Go home and put my kids to bed after a while, and then do more homework. I feel like it’s worth it.”

She’s thankful for the resources she received at 360 Communities, but more importantly, she has a message for anyone who might be in a similar position: “There is always hope. There’s always a way out. There’s always a different route. You just have to find it, even if you have to take help. That’s one thing that I didn’t want to do, and by doing that, I got where I needed to be.”

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