Disabled mom of 3 warmed by generosity of others

Physically disabled and unable to work, Veronica, a widowed mother of three, is warmed by the generosity of neighbors who have reached out to help her family during the holidays.

“My neighbor is giving me a Christmas tree with white lights. It makes me feel really good. She looks out for me and my family. I have three or four neighbors that are really kind to me,” Veronica, 44, of Pottstown, said during a recent interview, adding she will decorate the tree with ornaments she purchased at the local Dollar Store.

Veronica, who has had two spinal fusions and suffers from fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, is physically disabled and uses a walker to get around.

Veronica said she recently had to get rid of her vehicle when she couldn’t afford the repairs.

“They wanted to charge me three-grand and I don’t have that kind of money. I have no transportation. I’m on a bus now,” Veronica said as she spoke by phone while riding public transit. “This last year’s been really hard on me. I am in recovery and actually this Christmas Eve will be 21 months sober. This last year has been really difficult for some reason, I don’t know why.”

Veronica’s husband died in April 2015 and she has no immediate relatives to rely on for assistance. At times she has fallen behind on her rent, Ve-

ronica said.

“My mother, my dad and my stepdad are all deceased. Within a four-year period I lost my mom, my husband, my dad and my stepdad,” Veronica said.

Veronica does receive Social Security and food stamp assistance to help pay for her living expenses. But she added there isn’t much left over to purchase holiday gifts for her children, the two youngest who are 12and 13-year-old boys, one of whom was diagnosed with autism. Veronica also has a 25-year-old son.

“I’m depressed. I want to give my kids everything. I want to give them the world. Like any parent, I want to give them the world and I just can’t do it,” Veronica said, her voice trailing with emotion.

Veronica said one of her sons has been in and out of residential treatment since the death of his father five years ago.

“It’s been hard and I’m so happy to have him home,” Veronica said.

Despite her health problems and financial difficulties, Veronica considers herself blessed with help that comes from the generosity of strangers.

“Thank you so much, I’m so grateful,” Veronica said as she learned her family will receive some assistance from this year’s Operation Holiday program.

Operation Holiday helps families like Veronica’s every year.

Now in its 30th year, Operation Holiday has provided a brighter holiday season to thousands of families with children throughout the region. Donations from readers last year totaled more than $35,000 and allowed the program to provide food and gifts for 107 families with 325 children in need.

This year, 15 agencies in Montgomery and Chester counties have referred families in need, many of them affected by the devastation of the global pandemic. Stories of families interviewed by our reporters will appear in the newspaper and online between now and December 24. Also this year due to the hardship in our communities caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Operation Holiday will make cash donations to local food pantries so that families will have access to food during the winter months.

There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay local. Funds are collected and audited in a non-profit foundation account managed by staff of MediaNews Group.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings, the food packaging program will not take place this year. Families instead will be given gift cards for food in addition to the gift cards for gifts.

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 can be mailed to The Mercury, Attn: Operation Holiday, PO Box 1181, Pottstown, PA 19464, or The Reporter, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale PA 19446. Make checks payable to “Operation Holiday.” Online donations are being accepted in a secure portal in partnership with TriCounty Community Network. Visit https://tcnetwork.org/ and click on the link for Operation Holiday.