The Huber Family

Greg McGee and Ryan Moore, principals at Franklin’s Retirement Solutions Group Inc., surprised a Columbia woman at a special celebration on Tuesday by paying her rent for the next year.

Nikkae Huber and her children were presented with flowers, balloons and small gifts.

“I was not expecting this. I thought I was coming in for an interview,” Huber said.

In addition to 12 months of rent payments, Huber and her family will enjoy a year of free internet.

“At Retirement Solutions Group, we have been looking to give back in a more meaningful and impactful way,” Moore said. “During this stressful time, it is our honor to be able to play a small part in taking care of Nikkae so she can spend her energy taking care of her family.”

Huber was a stranger to McGee and Moore when they heard her story from Gradient Gives Back Foundation, LLC, a national charitable organization. They knew they had to step in to help.

A single mother, Huber and her four children, ages 11, 9, 8 and 6, moved to Columbia in early December so Huber could begin to build a business and a better life for her family. The move also brought them closer to four of Huber’s siblings.

One of 11 children, family is important in raising her children, Huber said.

Huber was a music teacher before moving to Columbia. She offered lessons in classical violin, piano and singing to students in a remote part of Michigan. Her goal is to open a business offering music lessons.

Huber wants her children to grow up in a better environment than they were in and wants them to be around successful and motivated people. A hard worker, she also helps clean for an Airbnb owner.

“I have seen what this pandemic has done to families,” McGee said. “I would like to help Nikkae and her children get settled in Tennessee for the next year.”

Retirement Solutions Group presented the gift in partnership with the Gradient Gives Back Foundation, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that devotes its resources to assisting Americans in need.

To learn more, visit https://rsgtn.com/rsg-gives-back.