Single mom, children enjoy a warm Christmas
PROVIDENCE - Cheryl, a 35-year-old mother of Robert, 3, and Anne, 9, has just started a part-time job and receives half of her income from the state.
She would love to one day no longer need public assistance and work full-time, but until Robert no longer requires day care and her work experience grows, she is very happy with her new job.
Her problem is that even with both sources of income, rising costs, especially for heat, has left her with unpaid bills. The children suffer from an illness exacerbated by the cold. “If it were just me, I could keep the heat really low, just enough to keep the pipes from freezing,” Cheryl said. “With the children, they get sick when it gets that cold in the house.”
“I need to keep the heat on - not really hot, but warm enough that their sickness doesn¹t act up.” Cheryl was referred to Interfaith Community Dire Emergency Fund by her local health center. “This client¹s 9-year-old daughter has already missed three days of school,” said Allison, a physician’s assistant at the center. By the time the family receives funding from a federal heating assistance program, “a small health issue will have become a big problem,” she added.
Cheryl was reluctant to seek aid. “I hate to ask for help. I want to do this on my own, but the children need the heat,” she said. “For now, I have to ask. I am so grateful to those who gave the money to make this happen.” Cheryl and her children enjoyed a warm home for Christmas because of the generous response to Bishop Tobin’s ‘Keep The Heat On’ Challenge. One hundred gallons of oil was delivered Dec. 19, which should last until the family receives their federal heating assistance.
This article originally published in The Providence Visitor.