Share the Season helps mother of eight who survived domestic violence
Share the Season is an annual campaign designed to financially assist Wichitans in need. The people are not identified to protect their privacy.
A former stay-at-home mother of eight was trying to cope after surviving a domestic violence situation. With her sole provider no longer in the household, she was left with all the bills to pay and no income to care for her children, the youngest being 1-year-old twins.
Even after finding a job, her expenses continued to escalate, and she had fallen behind on utility bills. As a single mom scrambling to catch up financially while looking after her children, she was starting to feel defeated.
“I came up with some money to pay my bills, but when these expenses run your house and you have so many children, it’s very stressful,” she said.
That’s when she heard about Share the Season from a friend. She applied, stating the program “would change not only mine but all eight of my children’s lives.” Soon after meeting with a counselor at The Salvation Army, she received assistance for her utility expenses.
“When I got the phone call, I felt relief, peace of mind and peace of heart,” the woman said. She was overwhelmed with emotions and cried. “At that point, we were getting ready to be evicted and everything was about to be shut off.”
Share the Season has not only provided enough help to allow her to stabilize her finances, but it has also kept the roof over her family’s head during the holiday season.
The program helped shift her focus on her family. When talking about her elementary to high school aged kids, she said, “if (my children) needed something for school, I was able to get it because I was not worried about being able to pay the bills that were racking up.” The family was also able to spend quality time together at the park, knowing they would have a home to return to.
“Thank you would not be enough to tell (donors) how appreciative I am. And how beautiful it is for somebody to be so generous,” she said. “I want to say God bless everyone who donated, and I thank them with everything I have.”
Share the Season is a joint project of the Wichita Community Foundation, The Salvation Army and The Wichita Eagle. Last year, 715 donors contributed $202,000 to Share the Season, making the holidays brighter for 136 families.
“Share the Season is possible because of the support from our community,” said Shelly Prichard, president and CEO of the Wichita Community Foundation. “For 21 years, these generous contributions have radically impacted the families and individuals facing unforeseen hardships during the holidays.”
To apply for assistance, visit www.sharetheseason.org or The Salvation Army Headquarters, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is noon, Jan. 17, 2021. For more information, call 316-263-2769.
Send contributions to Share the Season at the Wichita Community Foundation, 301 N. Main, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202. To donate online, visit www.sharetheseason.org. If you have questions about donating, call 316-264-4880.
Donors will be listed in the final Share the Season New Year’s Day advertisement in The Wichita Eagle. Please contact the Wichita Community Foundation if you prefer for your donation to remain anonymous.