A Neighbor Finds Financial Freedom
Kenny will tell you he's just a regular person. "I'm nobody special," he says with a laugh. But sit with him for a few minutes and a different picture emerges, one of a man who found himself in financial crisis, asked for help, and rebuilt with remarkable determination.
A handyman by trade, Kenny knows how to fix things. But in 2024, facing eviction and running out of options, he took out a $1,800 title loan against his truck. Kenny cares for his mother and lives on a conservative budget. He paid his loan payment on time each month, but with a 309% interest rate, the balance barely budged. "You don't think about it when you need that money," he says. "The loan is what I needed to pay my bills."
Kenny is very candid about the situation. "I made a mistake. You know, making a bad decision doesn't mean it's over. And it doesn't define a person. It could be the sign of a fresh start." That fresh start came through The Caring Place’s Alternative Loan Program, a partnership with First Texas Bank that gives people in financial crisis a real path forward. The program replaces a predatory high-interest loan with a new loan at an affordable interest rate.
Describing the relief after being approved for the Alternative Loan Program, Kenny shared, "It gave me a sense of freedom. I don't like the word hustle, but I could go work harder to achieve the next level of success. And that's what the new loan did — not worrying about, 'Oh man, am I going to wake up and these guys are going to have hooked my car up over $1,800? I'm never getting it paid down. I just paid $500, and the balance is still $1,800. I paid again, and it's still $1,800.’ Then I finally got the wisdom to say, ‘This isn't working.’ And I thought, maybe The Caring Place would be an alternative to help me."
When he was approved, Kenny immediately took his check to the payday lender and got his title back. While there, they offered to help if he ever needed it again. Kenny proudly recalls replying, “You will never be in my picture again.” He later got an email from the company with the message ‘You’re approved for a loan!’ and he unsubscribed. “Those loans are dangerous,” he added. “If I was recommending, yes or no, 100% no, find another resource. Because you'll never get out of a payday loan.” It was that financial freedom of escaping that loan, he says, that gave him back the ability to rebuild everything else.
Kenny got back to doing what he does best. He textures walls, frames houses, handles repairs, and takes on handyman work across the area. He is proud of his craft and of how he shows up to a job site. In June 2025, his old truck finally gave out. Because his finances were now stable and his credit score had climbed, he was able to replace his truck with a brand new one. This new, reliable truck gave him the peace of mind to support and grow his business.
Kenny is also proud of another kind of reconstruction — he is more than two years sober. He still cares for his mother, taking her to Mass every Sunday at Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in Andice, where The Caring Place is featured in the weekly bulletin. After losing his father and his wife, he has rebuilt his days around family, faith, and giving back where he can.
Now, Kenny and his mother bring fresh eggs from their backyard chickens to the church food pantry. For Kenny, paying it forward is simply part of how he has rebuilt his life. He came in ready to do the work. The Caring Place just helped him lay the foundation. As an experienced handyman, Kenny built the rest himself.
"At First Texas Bank, we believe everyone deserves a path to financial stability. Through our long standing partnership with The Caring Place’s Alternative Loan Program, individuals like Kenny facing financial challenges can access small dollar loans designed to help rebuild credit, establish positive financial habits, and create opportunities for a brighter future. It is one more way we are investing in the financial well being of the communities we serve." - Alexis Michael, President & CEO of First Texas Bank
