In recognition of Bank of America‘s recent grant in support of Wiley Reynolds Gardens Apartments — we thought it would be fitting to share a story from a family participating in the program.
Nearly seven years ago, Patrick Parkes and his family moved to the United States from St. Thomas Parish, Jamaica in search of hope and opportunity. Instead, Patrick found the opposite. Before coming to Adopt-A-Family, he and his family struggled to make ends meet while jumping from one unstable (and unaffordable) living situation to the next.
“Adopt-A-Family helped my family become stable and have a place to call home,” said Patrick, with a hopeful smile. “It’s a different feeling after spending so much time in stress and chaos; to know we have an apartment to come home to at night makes a world of difference.”
Why is participating in Wiley Reynolds so important and meaningful to you?
“It’s very hard in Palm Beach County to find a place to live that is affordable. With my current salary, there is no way I could afford $1,400 – $1,900 a month for rent, which is all you can find today. There’s no way. Just as important as stability, I feel welcomed and safe at Adopt-A-Family. My son Brian goes to the Project Grow afterschool program (which he loves) and I also enjoy the many supportive services my case manager provides my family and I. To be in a position to live somewhere so affordably while also growing within the program is a special feeling. We feel as though we’re moving closer to our dreams.”
It is only due to our funders, like Bank of America, that these stories become a reality. Visit us on Instagram (@aafpbc) to learn about Patrick’s long-term goal.