Share the Season helping woman with health issues

The pain in Julia Harris’ leg wouldn’t go away.

The 58-year-old child care director was admitted to a hospital for a blood clot in September.

She is coping with other health issues as well: She is scheduled for hip replacement surgery on Monday. Blood is not flowing properly through the top part of her heart. She has or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Her doctor won’t release her to go to work. She does not have sick leave and has fallen behind on car payments. She worries because she needs the car to go to doctor appointments.

Harris is one of many people seeking help from Share the Season. It is a joint project of the Salvation Army, the Wichita Community Foundation and The Eagle that offers aid to people affected by unexpected hardships like medical problems or loss of work. The program is in its 16th year.

Beginning Thursday, The Eagle will feature a daily story of someone in need through Christmas. Those who are featured will usually remain anonymous, but their need will be verified by the Salvation Army.

The average recipient is given help to pay utility or medical bills. Payments are made directly to creditors.

“There are many generous people in Wichita who consider this a project they want to support every year,” said Shelly Prichard, president and CEO of the Wichita Community Foundation. “We have also heard from the Salvation Army that a large number of requests this year is for medical bills. We are seeing this as a real need in our community.”

Last year, the program helped 214 families. It already has helped some people this year.

“I would like to sincerely thank the Salvation Army for the Share the Season gift they gave me,” one recipient wrote. “I was so overwhelmed not only for the amount of the gift, but for the love and all the help. ... Never did I feel ashamed, embarrassed or belittled. ... The gift relieved so much pressure on me.”

Share the Season is a grassroots approach in which the majority of donors send what they can – $5, $10 or $25 – while some contribute $5,000 to $10,000.

Last year, the group received $244,500, Prichard said.

In the program’s early years, the Wichita Community Foundation provided seed money each year. More recently, contributions have continued to pour in after the holiday season. Some have been used to help people with unexpected needs year-round. Share the Season had $38,360 from last year to help jump-start this year’s campaign.

Among those helped last year was a 37-year-old mother who was laid off of her job as a social worker. Her husband was working part time.

“We had a house and couldn’t afford the bills; my unemployment ran out,” the mother said.

A friend told her about Share the Season.

“It was a lifesaver for us,” she said. “Normally, I wouldn’t have had to ask for help. I didn’t expect to be laid off of a social work job.”

Now Share the Season is helping Harris bring her car payments up to date and remain current on her utilities. While she recovers from surgery, she plans to stay with her mother.

“I have worked for 25 to 30 years and have never been without a job until September,” Harris siad. “It has been real hard with no income coming in.”

So far, Share the Season has raised $61,076.

Among recent donors: James and Patricia Armstrong; Jo Alexander; Adam S. Jones Agency; Larry and Arleigh Aldrich, in honor of Rick Stockton; K.C. “Buck” and Gladys Alley; Billy Bolin; Ira and Betty Hill Bonebright; Sheri Bartz; Randy and Carrie Benjamin; Donna Bridges, in memory of J.D. Ingrim; James Byrum; Marylyn Blanding, in memory of Max A. Blanding; Philip and Emmy Bump; Loretta Barchers, in honor of Judith A. Hoffman; Robert and Nola Brown; Bruce and Meribeth Buhr; Roy and Sandra Barnes; Wade and Donna Brodin; Patricia Butin, in memory of Walter Butin; Ronald and Eleisa Barber; Jay and Sharon Bezdek; Jane Byrnes.

Donald and Sally Chesser; Dorth and Virginia Coombs Philanthropic Trust at the Wichita Community Foundation; Patricia Couger; Kevin and Kimberly Coe; Coleman Materials L.L.C.; John and Phyllis Connelly, in honor of Robert A. Constable; Dion and Laney Curry; Ronald and DeLonna Coleman; Everett Cook, in memory of Lois Cook; Coleman Employees Community Fund; Elizabeth Cummings; Timera Caro, in honor of Rollin and Bertha Cobb; Sue Christians, in memory of Bill Marsh; Barbara Case, in memory of Pat Case and Mike Kincaid; Georgia Chandler, in memory of Chuck Chandler; Karen Corbin; Mary Chaney, in memory of Betty Eaton; Steven and Janis Cox; Kelee Crager.

This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 6:22 PM with the headline "Share the Season helping woman with health issues."