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Just last week in Arkansas, as overnight temperatures dropped into the low 20s and wind chills made conditions even harsher, a single mother of five faced a sudden and frightening crisis.

She works hard and budgets carefully. Like many working families, she lives paycheck to paycheck. With inflation driving up the cost of food, utilities, rent, and transportation, a short gap between paychecks was enough to cause her gas service to be shut off.

With nighttime temperatures hovering between 22 and 25 degrees, she was left trying to keep five children warm in a home without heat.

This is where Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, play a critical role.

CDFIs are designed to support working families when timing matters most. They understand that financial challenges are often temporary and situational, especially when rising costs outpace wages. Their mission is to provide responsible, timely access to capital that helps families stabilize and move forward.

In the middle of this crisis, she reached out to People Trust, a CDFI, through its secure online platform. She was able to apply quickly and receive help through a Housing Stability Loan, a small dollar product created to help families maintain safe and livable housing during emergencies.

The loan allowed her to restore gas service, bring heat back into her home, and protect her children during dangerously cold conditions.

As cold snaps become more frequent and the cost of living continues to rise, working families across Arkansas are increasingly vulnerable to short term disruptions that can escalate quickly. A utility shutoff during freezing temperatures is not just a financial challenge. It is a safety concern.

CDFIs help bridge the gap between a temporary setback and long term hardship. By offering flexible, mission driven financial solutions, they help keep families stable, homes warm, and communities strong.

For this mother and her five children, the impact was immediate. Safety. Stability. Peace of mind.

Sometimes impact is not measured in dollars. It is measured in warmth, security, and families kept whole.