Share the Season: Mother of three able to pay bills and refinance
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.
The 44-year-old mother of three children was in a panic.
Her husband of 21 years walked away, leaving her with all the bills to pay on one income.
“I was worried how was I going to pay the electric bill? The water bill? On top of my car payment and his car payment? I realized I would not be able to make it. I was overwhelmed,” she said.
Her husband lost three jobs in the past 18 months.
“The last round of job loss is because he walked off the job and then abandoned his family and is now two states away,” she wrote on her application to Share the Season. “… I don’t know if he’s incarcerated or if he’s in a rehab program or on a friend’s couch. I’ve not had contact with him … except for two handwritten letters, where’s he’s emotional but not very factual on his whereabouts.”
Her mother showed her an article in The Eagle about Share the Season.
“We were looking at not having a Thanksgiving meal,” she said. “I would be almost homeless without having the help we got from Share the Season. It was a blessing. It was awesome.”
In the meantime, she took her husband’s name off her health insurance and car insurance and is in the process of refinancing.
“I have taken care of a few things to reduce the things I have been paying on,” she said. “Share the Season saved my life this season. I was panicked and desperate. I’m still working on things but it really allowed me a chance to breathe.”
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 $173,079.
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 at www.sharetheseason.org or pick one up at the Salvation Army, 350 N. Market. The application deadline is Dec. 20. For more information, call 316-263-2769.
Among recent donors:
Clemens Ast; Ted and Marcia Ayres, in honor of James and Beverly Rhatigan; Timothy and Brooke Aziere; Belin Foundation; William and Lisa Bowman; James and Susie Brewer; Gary and Barbara Cowl, in honor of Nathan Day; Curtis and Kathleen Demuth; Pamela Denyer, in memory of Lorene Scott; Robert Emig; Deb and William Frailey, in honor of Charles Frailey and J and B Dohr; Freddy’s Frozen Custard;
W. Thomas and Patricia Gilman, in memory of Mary Fellows Wilkins Gilman; Lance and Pat Hayes; Karen Houser; Robert and Laurie Ireland, in memory of Beverly McNew; Keith and Linda Kontz; Randy and Leslie Leroux; Jane and Donald Luellen, in honor of Nick and Annie Stevens; Jeff and Carrie Moore, in memory of Wesley Helena; Max and Penny Moss, in honor of Tom and Myra Devlin; Don Nicholson, in memory of Greg Nicholson; Gilbert and Sharon Nye; Al and Betty Pitts; John and Patricia Plank;
Robert and Carmen Razook; Robert Schrag; Ron Stephen; Catherine Wells; Lee and Nancy Woodard; Thomas and Alice Wooldridge; anonymous in memory of Jackie Brant; anonymous in memory of John Guthridge; anonymous in honor of Cecile Kellenbarger; anonymous in memory of Douglas Bebout and Donald Sturgill; and 15 anonymous donors.
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Share the Season: Mother of three able to pay bills and refinance."