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Aurora Woman's Survival Guide Grows In Popularity

Written by Brooke Wagner

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Carla Backmon was born and then abandoned at the New York Foundling Hospital. She was 18 when she "aged out" of the foster care system in New York City and then she was on her own. A resourceful young woman, she found a job and became independent. But layoffs, the birth of two children, and a divorce still lay in her future.

"It was very difficult for me to try to find the resources I needed to make it on my own," Backmon said. "I was saying, 'Why isn't this information already out there?' The individuals who needed the resources were not getting them."

Backmon's goal became to help other foster children aging out of the system by compiling a list of those resources in one place. The resulting 500-page book is titled "SaVvmari Survival Guide; a Reference Manual for Surviving Hard Times." Since its publication in April 2009, Backmon said it has exploded in popularity and helped far more people than she ever imagined.

"It has helped my mother, the stylists in here, the barbers," said Danyale Fisher, co-owner of His and Hers Barber and Beauty Salon in Aurora. "There's so much information in there, I don't see how it wouldn't help anybody -- kids, adults, the rich, the poor, the elderly, everyone."

Backmon said the book's title means "surviving, living, thriving," in Greek. She was thrilled to see her work helping people do just that, from homeless people to workers between jobs, domestic violence victims and single mothers, to name a few.

"Maybe their hours have been cut at work, so now they are wondering, 'How am I going to put food on the table?'" Backmon said.

In that case, a person using the book would flip to the clearly-labeled "Food" chapter of the book, look up his or her state and scan the specific state's resources for food stamps, food pantries or food for children, depending on the need. The chapters include clothing, employment, immigration, childcare, education, finance, healthcare, housing, immigration and legal services.

Some of the chapters contain hundreds of entries per state. Backmon just took her guide electronic, offering a Web/mobile service that provides the full guide by location, as well as maps and directions to the nearest resources.

"You can find housing, clothing, get food, get shelter, finances, education, as well as legal assistance," said Backmon. "You can drop somebody in the middle of anywhere in this country and they can find food, clothing, and shelter that day -- and anybody who wants to test me out on that statement, I say bring it on!"

In this economy, there is an estimated one single job available for every 65 unemployed people looking for work in this country. Backmon has been there. She was laid off from her technology job after Sept. 11.

"(I was thinking) 'What do I do?' I'm starting from Ground Zero. My income has been cut in half and I'm living in one of the most expensive real estate areas in the country. I had to start finding resources again," Backmon said.

She experienced the same issues after a divorce. She cares for and home schools her two small children.

"Here I go from a one income household to a zero income household. How do you survive?" said Backmon.

She decided to answer her own questions when she put together the SaVvmari Guide. Now, she said it's become so popular, staff members at one agency were fighting over their copy. School districts, city governments and attorneys are using it as well. But Backmon most loves to hear from the individuals who are in dire situations, getting immediate help from her book. She remembers one homeless family, in particular.

"They called me back the next day to say, 'I have a place to stay.' It's beautiful. It really works." Backmon said.

The SaVvmari Survival Guide is available at bookstores everywhere. Backmon is also scheduling workshops to help people learn to help themselves, using the services already available to them -- but accessing them much more easily.

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