The list of financially struggling families is long and assistance from the community helps families have some small relief, at least for the holiday season.
Anyone can fall on hard times. It can happen at any time. And it can be especially difficult for grandparents who are caring for grandchildren on their already tight, fixed incomes.
“I’m writing on behalf granddaughter,” wrote one grandmother last year to Give A Christmas. “My daughter is disabled and waiting to hear if she’s approved for disability benefits. Her and her 4 ½-year-old daughter live with me. I’m 62 and work two part-time jobs (10-hour days) but have fallen behind in all of my bills.
“We were almost evicted a week ago but saved the apartment for the time being, but I’m already late for December’s rent. My paychecks are not enough to support three people.”
That family managed to have Christmas because of the community’s big-hearted donations.
But the Give A Christmas campaign — run by the Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club in partnership with the Bucks County Courier Times — can’t continue helping children open a gift from Santa without you.
“There is no money at all to put some presents under the tree this year for (my granddaughter),” the rest of the woman’s letter reads. “I truly hope you can help make a little girl’s Christmas happy. I’d be heartbroken if there was nothing under the tree for her.”
This year marks the 61st year of Give A Christmas. But with less than three weeks away from Christmas, donations are far from the goal of assisting the usual 4,000-plus children with a $25 voucher from the Kiwanis.
Just this week, Mary Berman, president of the Kiwanis, opened a heart-wrenching message from an incarcerated mother.
“I received a letter yesterday from a girl that is in Bucks County Correctional Facility and her mom had her kids. She was asking for help for her,” Berman said.
There are many requests for help from grandparents filling in for parents and trying to provide a holiday for young grandchildren, she said.
“Grandparents are a very big part of raising the children” Berman said. “As you can see, grandparents on limited income have a really tough time.”
The list of financially struggling families is long and it’s assistance from the community that helps these families have some small relief, at least for the holiday season.
“I’m writing to you to ask for help for granddaughters,” wrote another grandparent.
One of her granddaughters is a toddler whose mother lost her job and received little from unemployment. Her second granddaughter also is a toddler, living with her single mother.
“She works but it’s enough to keep (her daughter) in (diapers) and clothes. As for me, I do work but also income goes towards the bills and rent,” the grandmother wrote. “I feel so bad for the girls. They deserve a Christmas at their ages.
“I’m asking from my heart that you would be able to help me give them a Christmas this year.”