Amy Robinson
First graduate of Compass IDA program and now a first-time
homeowner in Lynn.
My name is Amy Robinson, and I am a 2006 graduate of Compass Working Capital’s Individual Development Account (IDA) program. Compass was introduced to me by my daughter’s then school, the KIPP Academy Lynn….Once I went through the application process and the interviews and finally got that phone call saying we would love to have you in our program, I knew my family was on its way of finally having our own home.
I have been through some obstacles in my life let me tell you. First to start off with I am a product of a teen mother, who struggled her whole life to try and give me and my sister everything she never had. I grew up living in subsidized housing for the vast majority of my life. I too followed my mother’s footsteps and became a mother to a set of premature twins at the young age of 15. I struggled to stay in school with hopes of becoming a successful member of society. This plan only lasted until my junior year, by this time I had given birth to another baby. I ended up repeating my junior year only to become frustrated by negative remarks made by some of my so-called role models. I dropped out of school by the mid way mark and enrolled in a second chance school to obtain my GED.
On completion of my GED, I enrolled into the Community College with the help of public assistance. I thought I was finally on my way! I would have been the first child to graduate from college, something my mother and father have never done. Yet again my life had hit another bump. Only after completing the first semester I learned I was yet again with child. This would make number 4. Oh my what have I done is all I think. I thought I was on the right path. Finally, I did everything right this time, and why was I having another detour in what was supposed to be the new beginning? I as my mother lived in subsidized housing with my children, and fell into the same cycle of many young mothers of being scared and unsure of what real programs were out there to help better your life, yourself, your family.
After being on bed rest for more then half my pregnancy due to complications my last son was born. After his birth I was determined to enter in the work force. I wanted to help my then boyfriend contribute to our family. I had enough of public assistance, day care vouchers, and all the hoops you have to jump through in order to receive any help. I enrolled in a work shop called Office Works. This work shop was designed to help people learn the essential office skills needed to become successful in a work environment.
Me and my boyfriend, the father of all my children, decided we were going to do the right thing, start the next chapter of our lives. We got married. I was married by the age of 21, mother of four young children trying to save for a home, pay bills, buy food and pay rent. Things were not paradise like the government portrays. Once we decided to wed, things got even harder. All the subsidies that I thought I could do with out were gone! We needed them now more than ever. Our rent went up, the food bill increased over the years, clothing expenses got larger and there was nothing out there that we qualified for. We had to truly struggle in order to make it. There were periods of times that we honestly thought of legally divorcing in order to receive the help that is needed. It feels as though you do the right thing only to be punished.
Once my daughter finally got to the 5th grade, there was a new school that was established in Lynn. She attended KIPP Academy Lynn for two years, and during the second year, the Compass IDA program was introduced and this was my out, my new chapter yet again.
Once our classes started I was a bit nervous and excited all in one.... I remember sitting there and listening to the agenda and how each class would run and what was expected. The whole time in the back of my mind all I could do was think how I am going to get out of debt and learn to save money to buy a home. Each class offered something new and challenging. I mean this is a new way of thinking we have to adapt to, incorporate it into our daily living… Let go of the past habits....
One of the exercises that are a requirement when first starting was the daily spending log. With this you have to track every penny you spend each day for the next 2 weeks. Once you complete this log you can then see where you are spending foolishly and learn how to save more of your hard earned money. We also had classes related to stocks and bonds, home and life insurance, credit card awareness. These are all things that are in each person’s daily lives but for the most part we don’t pay to close attention to, or at least I didn’t.
We also got a monthly statement showing our deposits and the match deposit with the total amount saved. This amount could be anywhere between $25 - $75 a month. I would put each statement on our refrigerator to show the kids how much we have saved each month. It came to a point when the kids really started to get the whole concept of us saving and cutting things out that are a want and not a need. We saved $1511.14 and received $2589 in matching funds. We also received $11,505 for down payment and closing cost assistance.
….Compass IDA and Lynn Housing Authority created such a great program to help so many people who like me never thought their dream of owning a home, or sending your child to college, owning your own business, or evening going back to school yourself a real reality. We would have owned our home one day, what day we don’t know, but with the help of this program it has happened sooner. With this we now have a foundation we can call our own, and something our kids now can say look my parents owned their own home, I am going to do the same. This is the first real asset we have in our family that we can now pass along to our children and their children, a place we can truly call home.