By Kate Neary
UNITED WAY VOLUNTEER

FRANKLIN — Imagine you lose your job unexpectedly. You have two children who depend on you.

Although you have credentials to land a lucrative job, there is a hiring freeze in your industry so jobs aren't there to be had.

Months pass. Still nothing. The savings account runs out. The 401(k) is cashed out to put food on the table.

Both family cars are sold, replaced by a 26-year-old truck on loan from a family member. You have to sell your wedding rings to get enough cash to put gas in the tank.

Four payments behind on the mortgage, the bank is breathing down your neck, ready to foreclose on your home.

This story isn't from one of the areas of the country suffering from high unemployment. It is in Williamson County, the wealthiest county in the state of Tennessee. It's happening to the Garrett family, a middle class family who, before July 2008, led a comfortable life in a modest home in Franklin.

They are not alone.

According to www.realtytrac.com, the foreclosure rate in Franklin was one in every 750 housing units in August 2009. In total, 46 homes were foreclosed in Franklin alone, and 93 homes countywide.

No salary limits for help

With foreclosure imminent and their resources exhausted, Susan Garrett realized it was time to seek help when they couldn't pay the electric bill. "I thought, 'this is ridiculous. No agency is going to give aid to our family. That's meant for people in poor communities who really need it.' "

Despite this doubt, she pursued help. It was during this search that she learned about a United Way of Williamson County partner agency: GAP Community Development Resources Inc., a HUD-approved nonprofit with a mission to help local families overcome barriers to homeownership and save their homes from foreclosure.

"When I walked in there, I expected people to judge me. But they didn't. They just welcomed me with open arms," Garrett said. "I couldn't believe that as a family of four in our prior tax bracket we would qualify for help, but we did."

There are no salary limits to qualify for help under GAP programs. Anyone is eligible for loan modification.

"You don't have to be behind in your payments to qualify for loan modification," explains Daryl Hill, GAP representative. "Perhaps you are facing depletion of savings or 401(k) to keep up with your bills. The key is to seek help before it's too late to prevent foreclosure. The process takes time and it is critical to start as soon as possible."

Loan modification serves to reduce monthly payments for a time, until the homeowner can resume normal payments or refinance. This generally entails changes in the terms of the loan. Typically this means lowering the interest rate, which changes the monthly payments, or other terms, such as the length of the loan.

The programs are free.

GAP got a loan modification in place for the Garretts two days before the house was scheduled for foreclosure in February. This took the pressure off, so Susan's husband could focus on finding a job, which he did in April 2009.

The United Way of Williamson County provides some of those resources, and Garrett said she plans on donating to United Way when she gets back on her feet.

"A lot of people out there are hurting," she said. "Anyone can find themselves in this situation."

United Way of Williamson County supports 34 partner agencies, many of which serve the needs of those impacted by the recession and job loss.

Modification goes awry

The rocky road is not over for the Garrett family. The mortgage company billed them for the wrong amount, which, despite their prompt payment, started a ripple effect of miscommunication and disruption to their loan modification.

Today, the family is seeking a place to live following the auction of their home by the bank on Sept. 3.

GAP is still fighting on their behalf.

Susan Garrett recounts her journey with humor and humility. When asked how she keeps such a positive demeanor, she replies, "It is what it is. I believe this is happening to us for a reason. If I can help one person by telling my story, I'll keep telling it until that's happened. It's made me realize what's really important in life, and believe me, it's not the material stuff."