Monique White

Occupy Monique's house

Millions of Americans are facing a bleak holiday new year as they wait to hear if the banks will foreclose on their homes.

The US economy is still struggling to get going again after the global financial collapse of 2008.

The recovery has been slow - and lacking in sufficient new jobs - while home prices remain at historically low levels.

I have just come back from the Midwestern state of Minnesota, where over twenty five thousand people lost their homes to foreclosure last year.

"Look what's that?" "Say alligator" "Alligator!"

That's Monique White who is playing with her grandson, Deshaun, in the Minneapolis home her late dad helped her buy in 2003... but which she might be about to lose.

Raising two sons and a grandchild, she is proud to be the first in her family to own a home.

When the US economy tanked, Monique was initially told her job as a youth counsellor was safe ... but in February 2010 that changed. Monique told me.