Raising 7 kids on disability, food stamps

Getting by on disability due to diabetes and a rare stomach disorder sounds hard enough.

But try doing it with seven kids, not all of whom are yours.

Well that’s what Cheryl, whose name has been changed here to protect her privacy, faces every day.

And facing the holidays with three boys, aged six months, 6 and 13; and four girls, ages 6, 7, 12 and 14 is a prospect daunting enough to temper even the most determined holiday spirit.

“I’ve been asking myself what bill I won’t pay in December,” said Cheryl. “They’re kids and it’s Christmas. They don’t understand.”

Three of the children Cheryl cares for and feeds are her biological children; two are adopted and “I took on two more, a granddaughter and another child because her mother is on heroin and was going to lose her daughter,” Cheryl said.

“I guess I just have an open door policy,” she said with a laugh, joking that occasionally even gets to catch a few hours of sleep.

That’s partly due to the experimental medication she is taking for her stomach ailment in an attempt to avoid having to get a colostomy bag.

With her disability check, and reduced food stamps “we can just make the bills. Just,” said Cheryl. But Christmas gifts? “I’ve been really stressed, I

didn’t know what I was going to do,” Cheryl said.

What she is going to do now is enjoy the generosity of her neighbors and Mercury readers, thanks to Operation Holiday.

Kicking off its 27th year, Operation Holiday has been providing meals and gifts to local families since 1991. The idea behind Operation Holiday is to offer a helping hand to those families who, during the season of giving, are unable to afford what many of us consider holiday staples such as presents and bountiful holiday meals.

Operation Holiday has provided a brighter holiday season to thousands of families with children. Last year more than $50,000 in donations allowed the program to provide food and gifts for 144 families with 447 children in need.

The program was created and exists for children. The mission of Operation Holiday is to ensure that children of the Pottstown area have food to eat and gifts to open, no matter how poor or difficult their family situation may be.

There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay in the Pottstown area. Families are referred by more than 20 local agencies and churches.

Funds are collected and audited in a non-profit foundation account managed by staff of The Mercury.

Food, which includes the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry, is ordered, bought, packed and distributed by Mercury employees and Pottstown High School student government volunteers.

Gift cards for every child in the program 16 years of age or younger are purchased through Boscov’s and distributed in partnership with the referring agencies.

“Oh my God, I really appreciate this,” Cheryl said when it was explained to her what Operation Holiday would do for her family.

Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency in order to protect the integrity of the program.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by readers’ contributions. All contributions are tax deductible.

Contributions may be mailed or brought to the offices of The Mercury, Attn: Operation Holiday, 24 N. Hanover St., Pottstown, PA 19464. Make checks payable to “Operation Holiday.”