Two Lubbock families gifted free rent for next year

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Two local families are expressing their gratitude after the Lone Star Wealth Management and Gradient Gives back Foundation paid their rent for a year.

“I am just used to doing things by myself, and it’s just really nice to not have to worry about that right now,” Reynelda McDonald, one of the recipients, said.

McDonald is a single mom of six children; she stated it is sometimes hard to accept help from other people.

“I’ve had to step outside of myself and recognize that there’s a lot of things I have to be able to accept for my kids that I can’t provide,” McDonald said.

Ashley Griffith, who is also a single mom and another recipient, stated it has been tough to be on her own.

“My car is gonna break down any day now so that’s kinda been a stressor; like, what am I gonna do when my car doesn’t work anymore?” Griffith said.

Lone Star Wealth Management and Gradient Gives Back Foundation has provided 12 months of free rent to these two families.

“Both families have been struggling financially over the last year to several years. When we read their stories, we knew this was the time to help. Ashley and Reynelda deserve a hand up, and we are pleased to give them that,” President of Lonestar Wealth Management Michael Jon Byers stated in a press release.

“I’d like to say that when we got down to the last two, it was really hard to make a decision, but actually it was easy,” Byers said. “We got to the last two and were like ‘it’s gonna be both of them.’”

Co-founder of Lonestar Wealth Management Mark Groom stated after everything they have gone through, these two women have never given up and they are doing whatever they can to provide for their children.

“I hope it brings a couple different things,” Groom stated. “One of them is peace, financially that they’re gonna have some money besides just paying their rent, and let them know that there’s people out there who do care.”

Not only are these families getting their rent paid for a year, but the Lonestar office came together to gift them with gift cards to grocery stores, clothing stores and restaurants. Both mothers are thankful their back-to-school shopping worries are over.

McDonald said she is not sure what her next steps are right now, but she said she knows her kids are excited to go back-to-school shopping.

Griffith is hoping this will give her the chance to save for a car so she and her daughter can have reliable transportation.

Those interested in donating to the foundation to help families in similar situations click this link.

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