“I feel so much better about my kids’ chances in life. I’m better able to provide what they need to thrive” says Erica, a single mother who lives in Boston with her two sons.

“I feel so much better about my kids’ chances in life. I’m better able to provide what they need to thrive” says Erica, a single mother who lives in Boston with her two sons. Nick, grade 10, loves art and Alex, grade 7, plays every sport from baseball to hockey to tennis.

Erica is proud of her family. As she thinks back to when they lived in subsidized housing and got meals from the food pantry, she can hardly believe how far they’ve come.Today, with her master’s degree in hand, Erica is a social worker, helping others.

“We’re in a completely different situation,” says Erica. “I’m not on welfare anymore. I can buy things for my kids.We can even take a vacation.We wouldn’t have imagined this 10 years ago.”

Erica credits her progress to her education from Wheelock College and to the Individual Development Account (IDA) matched-savings program at Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation. “The IDA program taught me about budgeting and dealing with finances in a healthy way. I also learned that I could actually save,” says Erica, who added that the match of four dollars for every dollar saved was a big incentive. While she pursued her graduate degree, she supported her family on a parttime salary of $7,000 a year, and still managed to save $50 a month in her IDA.

Erica used her IDA savings and match money for her education, which helped her get a better paying job and provide security so that her sons can do well in school. She continues to save and looks forward to Nick and Alex completing their education and embarking on solid futures.

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