Family struggles abound with five kids, one disabled
A house with five children, four of them teens, requires a lot of supplies, more so during the holidays.
Sometimes Lauren, whose name has been changed to protect her family’s privacy, struggles to put enough food on the table — even on Thanksgiving.
“We could have used some more food,” said Lauren of the recent holiday. “There wasn’t enough for seconds.”
She only has enough time in the day to work part-time as a home health nurse because of her daughter’s doctor appointments.
In addition to an 18-year-old, Lauren’s household includes a 14-year-old boy, two 13-year-old girls and a 1-year-old.
One of the 13-year-old girls is
disabled and just had surgery on her leg because her growth plates are not growing.
Having a household with great need and limited resources has not stopped her children from wanting the same things for Christmas that children in more fortunate homes crave.
“They want too much,” said Lauren with a sigh. “One wants a hoverboard, the other wants a PlayStation 4, and of course one wants an iPhone. Those things are too expensive.”
While Operation Holiday cannot provide those expensive gifts, we can make sure there is enough food on the table and something under the tree for all when Christmas morning comes.
Now in its 28th year, Operation Holiday has provided a brighter holiday season to thousands of families with children. Last year more than $42,000 in donations allowed the program to provide food and gifts for 147 families with 412 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.
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 should be mailed to The Mercury, Attn: Operation Holiday, 390 Eagleview Blvd., Exton, PA 19341. Make checks payable to “Operation Holiday.”