Share the Season: Grandmother with autistic child thankful for help

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 Wichita woman says it's not always easy taking care of her 5-year-old grandson, who has autism.

“It's different. It's difficult at times. He can't be around a lot of people at once, so we can't go out and stay at one place for very long.”

That was just one worry weighing on her mind when her sister called at 1 a.m. one morning to tell her about the Share the Season program. The woman had been taken advantage of financially in a relationship and was suddenly looking at several unpaid bills.

She filled out a Share the Season application online and learned that she would qualify for help the next day.

“It took a lot of pressure off of me. I've had to choose between gas and food at times.”

The woman said she's not used to asking for help. She works as a custodian and has had custody of her grandson since he was 4 months old.

With her utility bills paid, she first put three weeks of food in the house. Now she has a month to save for Christmas for her grandson.

“I thank God that I found people to help me like this. May God continue in helping other people when they need it.”

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 $78,535.00.

Among recent donors:

Robert and Rita Benoit; Paul and Rebecca Burdick; Sally Herrington; Corinne Jervis; Terry and Emily Jones; Dennis and Joyce Kraus; Carl and Sandra Nickles, in memory of Hattie Matthew and Versea Smith; Lewis and Colleen Rogers; Jay and Carolyn Schlegel; Lloyd and Sarah Smith; Cary Utz; Kenneth and Stephanie Welk; Ruth Wells, in memory of Tom Wells; anonymous, in memory of Orlan Simpson; and 14 other anonymous donors.

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. 15. For more information, call 316-263-2769.

This story was originally published December 1, 2017 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Share the Season: Grandmother with autistic child thankful for help."