A family in need, how do you help?

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katgotsteve
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Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:47 am
Location: Georgia

A family in need, how do you help?

Postby katgotsteve » Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:07 pm

I got a call today from the school counselor at my niece's school.

i dont know him well, this is first year at this school and my first year being involved with him.

so here it goes. i called him earlier this year to inform him that my niece's father was out of prison and i did not want any contact with him and her.
today he called me and starting off rehashing the other call, then he started about another lady that he thought might be staying at my home. of course i had no idea what he was talking about or who this lady was. well anyhow, he started telling me her story. she is a mother with three kids who's electricity is cut off and she by rumor is living in a motel. all i could think is he is a mandatory reporter and this woman is going to lose her kids. we began talking about his mandatory reporter status and he told me he hated that part. he said some people have issues and in this day and time money is normally one of them and he was not going to turn them in. he just wanted to help them get food, christmas and housing and make sure things were ok. i gave him info about energy assistance and angel ministry foodbanks website to get some food. i was wondering if i should do more, like maybe donate some of my things that i have.

do any of yall have any ideas?

Momoffor
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Postby Momoffor » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:48 pm

The sad thing about that scenario is the mandatory reporter status. He might not report her because he has a heart, but others in the school that learn abut the situation might go ahead and do it.

I would donate things that I no longer need or use for her and the kids. Go through the cuboards and find food items that are just gathering dust and easily replaceable and donate those as well. The less people that find out about her situation the better.

My mother is teacher and told me about a father at the elm. school she worked at. There were 4 or 5 kids all girls, (I cant remember the exact number as this was about 5 years ago). She told me the mother had passed away and he was raising the girls on his own. They were living in their car and every morning the father would take them to Mcdonalds, get them breakfast and they would clean up and change in the bathrooms there. The kids ate a meal every day, went to school everyday and were cleam, cared for a well loved. My mother and some other members of facility that were aware of the situation took up a food and money drive for this family They contacted some 'places' and got it set up for the father to move into an apartment, found him an offer for steady employment, as his job was seasonal. They got donations of money, furniture and food as well. Before they could present everything to the father, the school nurse blew him into CPS. CPS removed all the kids and put them in foster homes and gave the father a shopping list of things to do.

The father went into a severe depression and thanked everyone for their efforts when they presented him with everything, but that was the final straw for him. He said that he lost everything else in the world, and now he lost his only reason left for living. He also stated that maybe it was better for his girls that they get what he couldnt give them. My mother doesnt know what happened after that as the girls changed schools due to the foster homes they were moved to being in another district. She said she knew he left town not long after that conversation.


This sounds mean and it sounds harsh, but I dont donate gift cards for wal mart, I dont do it for grocery stores either. I have learned from people who were part of 'another world' what can be done with those things. Sold for drug money, used for booze, used for other things than what they were intended. I donate food items, books, clothing ect. If I buy it new, I pull the tags off so it cant be returned for refund or credit. Times are so hard right now for so many, and the assistance that used to be there has been sucked dry and then some because of the economy and it seems to just be getting worse by the day.

There was a kid in one of my sons classes a few years ago, whose family was not in a good situation. I donated canned goods, used clothing and whatever else my kids had outgrown or didnt use and gave it to the teacher. She always made sure the family got it. Would this guy be willing to be a go between like that?

MaggieC

Postby MaggieC » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:47 pm

Wrap up whatever you have that you feel the family could use and send it to them.

It might be a bit late in the season but my neighborhood's churches (Catholic and Lutheran) sponsor a Christmas drive wherein a parish member sponsors a family. The sponsor buys gifts for the children and sometimes gifts from the children to the parents and a complete meal.

Contact your local churches. I am sure there is a need in these times.

You are a good soul.


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