After a struggle to rebuild her own life, Chastidy now helps others in need do the same!

After escaping a bad relationship, Chastidy Fritz struggled to start over. When the young mom finally got back on her feet, she decided to give back by helping others do the same!

Chastidy Fritz winced as she counted the last of her savings. Despite desperately pinching pennies, she couldn’t afford to pay her rent again. And this time, she was facing eviction.

As she tucked her four young children into bed with good night kisses, the Winthrop, Minnesota, single mom blinked back tears.

The bills had been piling up— car insurance, groceries, electric, health care. Now she wouldn’t even be able to keep a roof over their heads. Falling into bed exhausted, terrified and ashamed, Chastidy cried: What will we do now?

Back on her feet

Growing

up, Chastidy had faced nothing but heartbreak. Eager to escape, she married at 20. But she soon realized her husband wasn’t her knight in shining armor.

At first, the emotional abuse was subtle: He’d lash out about something small. Then came the name-calling. And isolating Chastidy from family and friends . . .

Maybe he’s right. How could anyone ever love me? she’d think as her scale jumped to 300 pounds.

But while Chastidy struggled to accept herself, she adored her children. And she couldn’t let them grow up in that environment.

After a heated exchange with her husband, Chastidy took her kids and fled without looking back. Landing a part-time job, she signed a lease on an apartment and sold her belongings. But even with government assistance, she didn’t have enough to support herself and the kids.

“I couldn’t even think about tomorrow—i was constantly worried about getting through today,” Chastidy recalls.

Yet she refused to give up. Desperate to rebuild her life, Chastidy began searching everywhere for a better-paying job—and found one.

She took control of her health, too. And, with nobody telling her that she was worthless, Chastidy stuck to a diet and shed 160 pounds!

When she met Josh, he told her, “You’re beautiful, inside and out.” And for the first time, Chastidy believed it.

Then one snowy day, Chastidy saw a homeless woman shivering in the bone-chilling wind because she had no coat. Slipping off her own coat, she draped it on the woman’s shoulders. “You don’t know what this means to me,” the woman cried. Suddenly, Chastidy was overcome, too— with gratitude for how far she’d come.

It’s time to give back, she decided.

Spreading hope

Chastidy

went home and scoured her house for clothes, nonperishable food, toiletries and household goods. Then she posted on Facebook asking friends to do the same.

Soon, Chastidy’s basement was overflowing with items for those down on their luck.

And in that moment, Project No More (Facebook.com/groups/ 1715467458688477/)—an organization to help others suffer no more poverty, no more tears and no more sadness—was born.

As her community got word of Chastidy’s efforts, volunteers stepped forward to fill backpacks with necessities and distribute them to the homeless.

Chastidy invited low-income families to “shop” in her basement and pick out free items they needed. And, perhaps most important, Chastidy shared her own experiences and advice to help others get back on their feet.

People like Rachel, who was living in a hotel with her two kids.

Though Rachel had a part-time job, she couldn’t make ends meet. With Chastidy’s help, Rachel was able to take a job transfer to a new town—and within months she was back on her feet!

“Chastidy helped me pull myself up from homelessness. She gave me the confidence to succeed!” Rachel marvels.

Paige had been employed at a restaurant when it burned down. Without any income, she was falling behind on rent and unable to afford necessities like food and a warm hat and gloves for the winter.

Then Chastidy stepped in, donating the items Paige needed and sharing the job-hunting tips that had worked for her. Today, Paige has a new career!

Tom was living on the street, wearing rags. When Chastidy brought him a backpack of essentials, he was moved to tears.

“No one has ever even asked my name since I’ve become homeless. But Chastidy listened to my story and gave me hope!” Tom recalls

Sue, a mom of three, was days away from being evicted after she lost her job. But Chastidy convinced Sue’s landlord to extend her stay for 30 days, which was all the time Sue needed to find assistance programs and land a new job.

“She saved me when I couldn’t save myself,” Sue says.

Today, a year since Project No More was founded, Chastidy has moved her nonprofit basement “store” to a larger retail space so that she can continue to help hundreds when they need it most.

“I know what it’s like to worry about not having a roof over your head,” says Chastidy, now a happily married mom of six. “But I’m also proof you can push through the challenges you face and make an even more wonderful life!”