Photo by Richard Maack

The Nelsons
When times are tough, it never hurts to get some help. But like they say, you have to help yourself first.
Danny and Michelle Nelson have done both, and that’s how they’re getting by raising two young children in this unforgiving economy.
It took help from a City of Phoenix program to get them into their home, and they’re using food stamps to pay for much of their groceries. At the same time, Danny (24) and Michelle (23), are both going back to school and grinding their way toward new careers.
The pair moved into their Sunnyslope home early last year after qualifying for the City of Phoenix’s Desert Mission Neighborhood Renewal program. Because of their low income, the Nelsons got help with a down payment, a low interest rate loan and a number of grants.
“I heard about the program at work, filled out the application, and after two years of paperwork, we got a great deal,” Danny says.
“It was worth the wait. We are so lucky,” Michelle adds.
Danny is a surgical technician who just switched from doing part-time work to a full-time job at the John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital. He’s also taking classes in preparation of nursing school.
Michelle works part-time in retail but recently started school at the Arizona Automotive Institute. She and Danny are looking ahead to better times, but right now, nothing is easy.
“It was costing us almost $100 a week to fill up the Dodge Ram, so we bought a Honda Fit,” Michelle says. “I love it. It only costs $30 to fill up, and it gets 34 miles per gallon. And we can fit the kids (Araya, 3, and Axel, 6 months) in there, too.”
On a day-to-day basis, Michelle says they’re looking to cut corners any way they can. They buy generic groceries and cut out even the smallest luxuries.
“We don’t do anything,” Michelle says, half-jokingly. “We just stay home with the kids when we have days off.”
“We’ve been married about two years,” Danny says. “And we haven’t taken a vacation in more than two years.”
It may be a daily battle for the Nelsons, but their attitude is unflinchingly positive.
“Financially it’s rough,” Michelle says. “But if we have a roof over our heads, food on the table and we’re not too far behind on bills, it’s not nearly as bad as it could be.”