This is the last week of the Giving Fund, The Hour’s partnership with Family & Children’s Agency to help community members in need this holiday season. With an additional ten stories of area residents struggling this holiday season, we’ve brought you 60 cases to consider supporting. This week’s cases include a mom who needs a driver’s license, a woman who took in her niece, a young man with autism who needs to build his life skills, and more.
Every story carries a unique case number, allowing you to direct your donation to a specific individual or to the broader Client Support Fund at FCA via https://bit.ly/FCAgiving24 or the QR code provided.
To protect their privacy, names and details have been changed, and many of those mentioned are unaware their story has been shared. Any donations exceeding a client’s immediate needs will go toward the FCA Client Support Fund, ensuring your generosity continues to support others in need.
Thank you for supporting the Giving Fund and helping neighbors right here in our backyard!
151: Iyana is struggling. She has six children ranging from infancy to pre-teen and has been unable to find a job. She needs to get her driver’s license so she can transport her children to all their appointments and school, as well as open her to more work opportunities. The lessons are pricey, and a gift of $500 would help her enroll so she can begin the process of getting her license. Driving would give her so much more freedom and safety.
152: Christina recently took in her infant niece when the baby’s parents were unable to care for her. She really stepped up for the baby in this difficult situation, but unexpectedly becoming a parent is financially challenging for someone on a limited income. A gift of $400 would allow her to purchase some basic items for the baby, including a rocker, diapers, and other supplies.
153: Tiana has spent much of her life in foster care but was recently able to reunify with her biological mom. Having been removed from her for so long, Tiana doesn’t have a bed in the home. A gift of $350 would get her a new bed so she doesn’t have to sleep on the couch and she and her mom can be more comfortable as they continue to bond.
154: It’s an exciting time for Xavier- having spent much of his life in foster care he’s about to be adopted by his foster family! A gift of $400 would help the family continue Xavier’s extracurricular activities and pay for his needs as he becomes an official member of their family.
155: Lisa is a devoted single mother to four children but has limited resources. She’s been struggling to mee their basic needs like putting food on the table and furnishing their rooms as they grow out of their old items. A gift of $500 would be a tremendous help to Lisa and her children so they can have comfortable bedrooms.
156: Cassidy is a single mother living in a hotel due to domestic violence. She has been having trouble finding an apartment, and living in a hotel is expensive. She often doesn’t have any extra funds for her children. A gift of $500 would help Cassidy afford the first month’s rent on a new apartment so her family can move out of the hotel and into a more permanent solution.
157: June is a single mom with two small kids. Her son, Liam, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. The family became homeless after June lost her job during COVID and it’s been very difficult for them to find a handicapped-accessible unit to move into. She has finally been approved for a place that will accommodate a wheelchair but needs the security deposit. A gift of $500 will help them move into their new opportunity and give them a much more stable life.
158: Clara and her three children were living with Clara’s abusive husband in Texas when, after a traumatizing and violent interaction, Clara and her children were thrown out of the house. They came to Norwalk to live with family, but having been in Texas they are not at all prepared for winter. A gift of $400 would allow them to get some coats, winter boots, and warm sweaters as they experience their first cold winter.
159: Lucas is a young man with autism in foster care. He and his foster family work daily with providers to develop his life skills. A gift of $400 would help his foster mother pay for additional services such as occupational therapy and physical therapy that are outside of his insurance coverage.
160: Kai is a 7-year-old little boy in foster care. His foster mom has been struggling to meet his significant emotional and physical needs. A gift of $250 would help her buy some therapeutic tools to help Kai as he overcomes past trauma and learns coping skills.
