Kimberly was never the same after battling cancer.

The disease went into remission, but the chemotherapy weakened her body and 10 years later she still felt the effects. Yet, she pressed forward with life because she had three boys to raise and she was a survivor. She used her education to find steady work as a paralegal.

Overcoming cancer, however, was not her only challenge. Hospitalized after a car accident and pulmonary embolism, she had to stop working and recover. The bills piled up and she fell behind on her rent.

Kimberly knew she needed extra help, so she called 2-1-1.

She was connected to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay's Building Strong Families program. She met with Lynnette, a case manager who secured funding to help her with her rent. She also took a Money Matters financial literacy class that provided helpful tips to manage her budget and make ends meet. She was even referred to the Crisis Center's Trauma Counseling Center so she could receive counseling to help her cope with all of the fear and trauma she had experienced.

Kimberly let Lynnette know her health issues made it difficult to work in an office as a paralegal, but that she could have the flexibility she needed if she was able to be certified as a legal document preparer. Lynnette arranged to cover the costs associated with the certification process so she could be self-employed and work at home.

Kimberly is taking the final steps to be certified by the Florida Association of Legal Document Preparers, has launched her business, and is growing her list of customers. She has tremendous faith in God, but knows that sometimes you also need to ask for help from the people around you. That's why she called the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.