the joy of stability: Taylor's story

"You know what you can do with crappy credit?" Taylor says. "Pretty much nothing."

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Many of us don’t think about the state of our credit record too often. Taylor came face to face with it after her family spiraled into a housing crisis that echoes the experiences of many AFC clients.

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twelve kids and twelve schools​

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Raised amid chaos—eighth of twelve kids, shuffled through a dozen schools—Taylor was determined to build a more stable life. She was proud to have a savings account at an early age, only to have her parents drain it. Still, she pushed forward, maintaining a 3.8 GPA 

throughout school despite the pressure of caring for a sick parent during her final years of high school.  Taylor got her diploma from Anacortes High School, "barely," she says.

After high school, life settled down for a while. Taylor became a Certified Nursing Assistant and ran a coffee bar. She and her partner, Shane, built a life in Mount Vernon, raising their three children and Shane's two sons in a rental home. But when the relationship faltered, so did the foundation beneath.

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from stable to struggle

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After the split, Taylor could no longer afford the $2,150 rent on her own—especially for a place owned by what she calls a “slumlord,” who refused to make repairs. When the lease ended she gave up the unit, hoping to find something more affordable.

That goal proved to be elusive.

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Determined to keep her family together, Taylor bought a camper. She reconnected with Shane and he moved back in. When his sons visited, seven people were squeezed into their tiny home-on-wheels! Taylor worked "all over the place," and tried to save, but it was never enough. A membership at an RV park quickly drained the budget. Her credit collapsed and she realized another rental was not in the cards at that point.

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October 2024 was particularly brutal. Cold nights in the camper forced Taylor to face a difficult truth: she couldn’t provide adequate shelter for her kids. She called 211. Not long after, AFC called her back. Taylor and her kids entered the Emergency Shelter while Shane stayed with his mother and his sons with their mother.

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learning at AFC

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At AFC, Taylor was paired with Rachel, a case manager who helped her see the bigger picture: caring for herself wasn’t selfish—it was necessary. “It’s noticeable when you do things for yourself,” Taylor says. She realized you can’t be there for others if you’re falling apart.

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She also began rethinking accountability—not just for herself, but for her children. She expects them to take control of their own lives. "My job is to help them learn how.”

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a bright future 

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With AFC’s support, Taylor enrolled in school to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Shane brought his boys to visit on the AFC campus often. Then, Taylor got the call she’d been waiting for: a housing application she had submitted months earlier had come through. The family would move into a permanent home together--parents and children.

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Thanks to her 2025 tax return, Taylor paid off her bills. “It’s the best feeling,” she says!  She’s now rebuilding her credit, preparing for a career, and raising three kids with a deep sense of purpose. Each child has a long-term savings account in their name—locked until they turn 18.

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This time, the money is safe. And so are they.