Dot is a hard worker, a mother of two, and a caregiver to her mother. In a way, she’s the face of everyone who has struggled over these last 18 months.
She’s always worked. But last year, things got really complicated. Family members got sick. Her hours got cut. Everything got more dangerous with the arrival of COVID-19. Her mother actually spent time on a ventilator due to COVID. Then her daughter needed surgery. It was just too much.
Dot had to choose between her job of 16 years and her family’s health. Thinking it wouldn’t be too long, she chose to focus on caring for her daughter and mother.
But the pandemic stretched on and so did her family’s need for care. “It was a lot,” Dot says.
Barely able to keep up with her mortgage, she kept hoping things would turn around as utility bills piled up. The stress began to take a toll on her body – chronic migraines returned and often she literally felt like she couldn’t breathe.
“It’s hard. You think about giving up,” she recalls. “I appreciate each and every one who helped me through it. Y’all were a lifesaver. I know for sure people care.”
Thanks to community support, emergency payments directly to her power and water vendors brought her up-to-date and kept her utilities flowing. “I’m able to breathe comfortably now. Having air conditioning and water make a difference. It took a lot of stress off me,” she says.
Now, Dot is able to focus on finding a new job while she rebuilds her family’s physical and financial health. “I am a go-getter. Whatever is out there I’m willing to take that because sometimes you just gotta start over,” she says. “I’m a quick learner.”
For over 20 years, Crisis Assistance Ministry has been encouraging donors and supporters to forgo the cost of attending a gala, stay home, and make a gift to make a difference.
With your help, we can positively impact the families in our community seeking a hand up with their basic needs.
