Single mom loses job before holidays
It’s been nearly two years since Maria has had a home of her own to celebrate the holidays.
Thankfully, she says, her three children are young enough that it doesn’t bother them.
“I’m a mother of three — two boys and a girl. They’re 4 and 3 and my daughter is 1½. For the past two years I’ve been struggling with living in a shelter. They’ve helped me with going to school and trying to get on my feet,” she explained.
But Maria’s problems don’t end with her living situation.
Not only has her middle child struggled with medical issues since birth, but her daughter also recently had to be hospitalized with bronchiolitis. The illness forced Maria to spend three days in the hospital with her daughter as she recovered. As a result, she lost the job she only recently obtained.
“I went to school for my CNA. It was really helpful in getting me the job. So I finished school, got a job but then they fired me because I was at the hospital for three days for my daughter,” said Maria.
She has tried to make the best of the holiday season though.
Maria said she took her children to see Santa but as a single mom with no job, Maria has been struggling to provide a good holiday for her children.
“It seems like once something goes right something goes wrong, just like with my job,” she said. “I’m just trying to start a new tradition with my kids and trying to be there for them and deal with their issues.”
This year, Operation Holiday is stepping in to give Maria and her kids a helping hand.
Now in its 27th year, 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 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.
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.