Struggling family finds help at Share the Season

Share the Season is an annual campaign that offers one-time aid to people affected by unforeseen hardships. The people are not identified to protect their privacy.

A single mom with three young children was desperate.

“I have been struggling really bad,” she wrote in her application to Share the Season. “Please help.”

On top of moving expenses, her hours at work were cut back. That was enough to put her way behind on bills.

But Share the Season brought her utility bills up to date, giving the 28-year-old mom a chance.

“You don’t know how much this means to me,” she said.

Her finances had been in a tight squeeze even before the recent developments, so she moved to an apartment to lower her monthly costs. But that led to paying more in utility deposits than she expected.

She said she doesn’t receive any public assistance or help from her children’s father.

“It’s been a struggle,” she said, “but now I don’t have any utilities due until after the first of the year.”

And perhaps she can even provide something of a Christmas for her children, ages 3, 2 and 1.

“Even if it’s just a dinner I can put together,” she said.

Share the Season is a joint project of The Eagle, the Wichita Community Foundation and the Salvation Army.

So far this season, it has raised more than $79,000.

Send contributions to Share the Season at the Wichita Community Foundation, 301 N. Main, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202. To donate online, go to www.sharetheseason.org. If you have questions about donating, call 316-264-4880.

Donors will be listed in The Eagle; please note if you prefer to remain anonymous.

To apply for help, fill out an application atwww.sharetheseason.org or pick one up at the Salvation Army, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is Dec. 17. For more information, call 316-263-2769.

This story was originally published December 4, 2016 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Struggling family finds help at Share the Season."