Tom and his wife, Allie, had never thought they would need our help … until suddenly they did. Tom worked for a major global tech company for five years, managing cross-functional teams that developed and implemented data-driven marketing strategies. He hoped to move into senior leadership one day.
But when Tom returned from parental leave following the birth of their twin sons, he found that his department was being eliminated and he was being laid off. Although Allie’s job as an assistant professor of child psychology at UCSF helped, her salary wasn’t nearly enough to support their family.
“I lost my job and my dad had a bad stroke, all when our twins were so little. Having community support while I was job-hunting meant we didn’t have to worry as much. We’re grateful to everyone who donates to Hebrew Free Loan!”
By the time Tom and Allie came to us for an interest-free unemployment loan, things had gotten even tougher. Shortly after Tom’s job ended, his father had a debilitating stroke. Instead of using his severance pay to tide the family over while he looked for a new position, Tom spent those funds on his father’s care. The couple cut their expenses way back, but they were still rapidly running through their savings and worrying about the future.
Fortunately, things worked out well for Tom and Allie. What they needed from us was a bridge until they got back on stable footing. Tom found a new job within a few months, and they were able to repay our loan early so the funds could help others.
Most importantly, their twins, Levi and Micah, are two years old and thriving. The couple is finding a way to balance work and family. And they’re grateful for the community support that helped them breathe a little easier through that difficult time.
