Woman launches campaign to save neighbor's home

"Watching God answer your prayers is crazy'

Amanda Miller, center, sits in her home with her five children, from left, Stephanie, 14, Addilyn, 4, Desiree, 16, Braden, 7, and Noah, 5. Recently Miller, along with neighbor Vickie Wieberg, decided to utilize the crowdfunding website gofundme.org to help her keep their family home while she studies to be a nurse.
Amanda Miller, center, sits in her home with her five children, from left, Stephanie, 14, Addilyn, 4, Desiree, 16, Braden, 7, and Noah, 5. Recently Miller, along with neighbor Vickie Wieberg, decided to utilize the crowdfunding website gofundme.org to help her keep their family home while she studies to be a nurse.

In an offhand conversation six years ago, Vickie Wieberg casually convinced Amanda Miller and her family to move into a home in her Jefferson City neighborhood.

But Wieberg could never have foreseen the measures she would take to prevent her new neighbor from moving out.

Through the years, Wieberg and Miller became friends as their children of similar ages grew up together. As companionship and trust began to form between the two women, Wieberg slowly pieced together the desperate financial position Miller was in after her 15-year marriage had ended in divorce.

While working part-time, homeschooling her five children and earning a degree in medical transcription, Miller fell behind on her house payments and has since received a 30-day notice of eviction. She shared that information recently with Wieberg.

"She (Miller) said: "Why would anyone want to help?'" Wieberg said. "I said: "Why wouldn't they?' For me, there is no doubt that it's proving to her that people do care."

Wieberg said that conversation inspired her to create a page titled "Home for a Family" on GoFundMe, a fundraising website.

With donations pouring in from around the country and even abroad, Wieberg has been surprised not only by the multitude of donations but also by the number of people who can relate to Miller's situation.

"They are in a better place now and can give back," Wieberg said of the many donors who have experienced circumstances similar to Miller's. Wieberg's opening sentence on the GoFundMe web page appeals to this commonality: "Have you ever been in a situation where you were once down on your luck and know how it feels?"

Through connections to various social media outlets including Wieberg's personal Facebook account and a Facebook account set up for the purpose of Wieberg's mission, the GoFundMe page has been shared numerous times and has collected more than $4,000 in two days.

Wieberg aspires to collect the $90,000 value of Miller's home within the next 30 days. Though Wieberg hopes Miller will continue to live in her current home, she will be satisfied if Miller has any home, as well as financial security.

"The ($90,000) goal is not going to change until we reach it. I want to sleep at night feeling like I did everything I could," Wieberg said.

Though facing her reality of supporting five children as a single mother is "overwhelming," Miller remains fixed on the hope of future success, she said.

"I don't want to feel like I have to reach out. I want to be on my own feet and come out as a success story," she said.

Ruminating on her relationship with Wieberg - and now many others - Miller said she has realized "there are good people out there."

"I put everything in prayer and am looking at this as a direct answer to my prayer," she said. "It feels overwhelming. Watching God answer your prayers is crazy. I look forward to the day when I'll be able to pay it forward. I can't believe God has opened up these doors."

Link:

GoFundMe page at http://www.gofundme.com/ji71uk