A Light for All

Ella Ford, 73, of Jackson, MS, has always been a light for others. She works as a cook for her church and caters gatherings for her friends and family. Unfortunately, when she lost her husband of 53 years back in 2019, she felt as though her light had gone dim. After his passing, managing the bills became a challenge. In particular, their mortgage loan interest rate was nearly 14%, and she struggled to pay it along with her other debt and household expenses. A good friend of Ford’s, Chadwick Russell, contacted HOPE on Ford’s behalf. HOPE’s mortgage team worked closely with Ford to structure a mortgage that would pay off all of her debt and lower her monthly payment. She qualified for HOPE’s Affordable Housing Product, which put her on a much more solid financial foundation. In her new mortgage, her interest rate decreased from 13.99% to 7% and her term was reduced by ten years. Additionally, she consolidated all of her debt which saved her approximately $500 a month. “HOPE really did a good job for me and I really thank the staff for all that they do,” said Ford.