Share the Season: Family struggles to provide for nine kids
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.
There are now nine children in the 48-year-old woman’s house.
On her application to Share the Season, she wrote that the family had fallen behind on monthly bills because she and her 58-year-old husband had tried to help their daughter, who had just received guardianship of a niece’s children.
Her niece is serving time in jail because of drug problems.
“Everything was up in the air with the kids, we love them all and they are here,” the woman said. “It was a struggle.”
The woman has heart problems and is diabetic.
She heard about Share the Season from a friend. She applied, and the family qualified for help.
“They helped me pay our gas bill, electric bill and helped me pay some of the hospital bill,” the woman said. “I couldn’t believe how quickly they helped and how kind they were. They didn’t look down on you and were really sweet and nice.”
The best news, the woman said, is that she and her husband were struggling with how to provide for all the children over the holidays.
“It took a big weight off of us,” she said. “It helped a lot with everything we’ve got going on.”
Share the Season is a joint project of The Eagle, the Salvation Army and the Wichita Community Foundation.
So far, it has raised $116,752.69.
Send contributions to Share the Season at the Wichita Community Foundation, 301 N. Main, Suite 100, Wichita, KS 67202. If you have questions, call 316-264-4880.
To donate online, go to www.sharetheseason.org.
Donors will be listed in The Eagle; please note if you prefer to remain anonymous.
To apply for help, fill out an application at www.sharetheseason.org or pick one up at the Salvation Army, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is midnight Dec. 19. For more information, call 316-263-2769.
Among recent donors: Keith and Karen Anderson, in memory of Peyton Duling; anonymous, in memory of Matthew West Walker; anonymous, in memory of Cory Pugh; Ted and Marcia Ayres, in memory of Dr. Slawson; Bank of America Charitable Foundation; James and Karen Beebe; Lorraine Bernhart;
Noreen Carrocci and Robert Benson; James and Karen Chadwick; David Clark; David Dolinar; Curtis and Phyllis Irby, in memory of John W. Campbell; Judith Johnson, in memory of Marion Richey; Daniel and Norene Kerschen; Sue Kleinheksel; Roger Koeppen; Jane Luellen in memory of Nick & Annie Stevens;
McCune Family Charitable Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation; Janis Meredith, in memory of Glenn & Jill; James Nuss; Linda Peltzer; River City Ladies Club; Melvin Srader; N. Brent and Mary Jane Wooten; Melva Zimmerman, in memory of Leroy V. Zimmerman; and 10 anonymous donors.
This story was originally published December 4, 2014 at 5:40 PM with the headline "Share the Season: Family struggles to provide for nine kids."