You have probably known someone like Gloria and her kids- a single mom trying to make it through the pandemic. When you hear Gloria’s story, you will understand the decision you make to help your neighbors in-need is an important one.
Gloria never anticipated finding herself as a single parent with three children and without the resources to keep a roof over her their head, until her husband left them and moved out of the country during the pandemic.
Up until that point, she and her husband had been working opposite shifts so that childcare was not an issue. Her husband was also paying most of the bills. In the beginning of the pandemic, Gloria lost her job when schools closed because she needed to be home to supervise her children during virtual schooling. When her husband left, she soon fell behind in rent payments and feared they would lose their home. Gloria started reaching out to service agencies for help. In March she connected with Family Promise of Essex County (FPE) and a FPE Case Manager began to work step by step with Gloria, to plan for a more stable future.
With donor support, summer camp was provided for the three children, so that Gloria could go back to work. Donor support also provided clothing and school supplies for the children, replaced her broken microwave, and provided food gift cards to help her through this major transition of becoming a single mom. The FPE Homeless Prevention Program was able to pay her back rent and case managers assisted in assessing daycare options, budgeting, planning, and navigating new job options.
Gloria truly appreciates that she is not alone as she travels this new and unexpected journey. YOU are an advocate who is fighting alongside Gloria, while equipping her and her children to advocate for themselves for a more stable and brighter future.
