Faces of ABLE: Becky

Becky is a plant nursery assistant where she has been employed for more than 22 years. While she has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, partial deafness and other mental disabilities, she has never let that hold her back.  

“Our daughter Becky has several disabilities and challenges in her life – with her greatest challenge being her mental disability,” shared her mother, Sandra. “But that hasn’t stopped her! She has worked hard and is greatly admired at her job for her consistent attendance and eagerness to do anything asked of her.” 

Becky also worked a second job part-time with the goal of saving enough money to buy a new house nearby. Due to COVID-19, she was furloughed and lost an estimated $160 per week in income.  

Her mother, Sandra, first learned about ABLE United in 2017, and decided to help Becky open an account of her own. “In the beginning, she didn’t have much income to contribute but we are grateful to have been able to save even a small amount as it has helped her through this challenging time,” explained her mother. 

With an ABLE United account, Becky has been able to save and begin developing a financial emergency fund – which she ended up needing sooner than she thought.  

“They say you should have six months’ worth of income saved to survive the ‘hard times’,” shared Sandra. “Maybe poor health or loss of a job or a natural disaster – whatever it is, you need the security of knowing you can pay your bills and put food on the table, especially if you don’t have family to help.”  

When Becky retires, she will need far more than what she currently has saved. Her mother explained, “It is never too early and no amount is too little to contribute and start saving.”