When I worked as a banker, I saw firsthand how hard many families worked just to make ends meet. Today, in my role with the City of Hinesville’s Community Development Department, I see that struggle in a different, often harsher light. It is not always about bad decisions or lack of ambition. More often, it is about systems that leave too many of our neighbors living on the edge, one car repair, medical bill, or missed paycheck away from losing everything.