How to help less fortunate Norwalk families this season
NORWALK — Want to ring in the new year on the right foot? Look no further than this year’s Giving Fund.
For the fourth year in a row, the Norwalk Hour and Family & Children’s Agency are coming together to offer a chance for readers to sponsor one of these less fortunate families for the holiday season. The Giving Fund features local residents who need money to help buy gifts, visit relatives or just a little financial help to get through these winter months.
Each case includes an estimated dollar amount that would help the featured clients face everyday challenges like rent payments, childcare costs and transportation. Every dollar donated to the Giving Fund goes directly to the clients in need. The families and individuals who benefit from the Giving Fund often don’t know they have been submitted, and aliases are used to protect their privacy.
This year, more than previous years, have been difficult on families in need, according to Rob Cashel, president and CEO of the Family & Children’s Agency.
“Given the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on our community, generous support through the Giving Fund is now more important than ever in meeting the critical basic needs of our FCA clients including children, families, adults and seniors,” he said.
The Norwalk Hour will publish new cases in print every Friday, with a coupon for donations, and maintain a full list online. Donations also can be made online.
Here are this week’s people who need help:
245: Layla is a single mother of two young children currently living in Norwalk. She is now unemployed, as she recently had to quit her full-time job to be able to fully attend to her son’s significant mental health and learning needs. Layla also takes care of her grandmother, who lives with her, who has dementia and no resources of her own. Layla is struggling to pay her bills, and could use assistance with school supplies, basic winter clothes, and shoes for her son and daughter. A gift of $400 would help her provide these for her children.
246: Juan is a single father of his two young sons, living in Norwalk. He currently works two jobs to support the three of them. His sons experienced abuse by their mother, whose whereabouts are unknown. He depends on help from friends and family. One of his children is struggling emotionally and is a special education student. As the sole provider for the family, Juan works hard to meet his family’s financial needs but is finding it very difficult to keep up. Juan needs to buy clothing and winter coats/boots for his sons, as he says proudly “they are growing so fast.” A donation of $300 would help him provide winter clothes for the boys.
247: Ashley is a single mother to her 2-year-old daughter. They live in Bridgeport. Ashley was previously living in a shelter as she is a victim of domestic violence. Despite experiencing traumatic events in her life, Ashley has been working hard to give her child a different life. She recently picked up a second part-time job as she struggles to make ends meet. Ashley plans to go back to school for nursing and is hoping to begin classes in the upcoming semester. Becoming a nurse would help Ashley’s financial situation and help her provide for her daughter. A gift of $500 would help Ashley jumpstart her career by funding childcare for her daughter which will allow her to work and take classes.
248: Sarah, who resides in Stamford, is a single mother of a child she adopted at the age of 17. Her adopted daughter recently had a baby and is unable to care for her due to mental health concerns. Sarah is struggling financially as she is working remotely and has never cared for an infant before. She is unable to afford day care, so working and taking care of her granddaughter is very challenging. Sarah is concerned she will have to quit her job to be able to properly care for the baby. A gift of $500 will help Sarah with formula, diapers, food, and other basic care needs to care for her granddaughter.
249: Samantha is a single mother of a 2-year-old daughter, and they are new to the Stamford area. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been difficult for Samantha to find a steady job with consistent hours. Samantha has been able to find a few hours of work each week cleaning a restaurant, which has been just enough for her to pay her rent every month. Although Samantha has connected to resources in the area to assist her with food donations, she has been struggling to maintain her rent and not fall behind. With the winter season approaching and lack of work hours, a gift of $500 would help Samantha get through the winter and not fall behind on her rent.
250: Susan is single and has been fostering her niece’s toddler for over a year due to domestic abuse. They reside in Stamford. Susan has provided for the toddler assuring that she meets the child’s basic care needs, however Susan has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She has struggled to meet various expenses due to being laid off at her job, and although she has secured some per diem employment, it is not nearly enough to cover all her expenses. Susan would benefit from any additional financial support, as to make matters even worse, she has now suffered some medical problems that have resulted in increased bills. Susan could use $350 of assistance towards food, utilities, ren and daily expenses so she can continue to meet the needs of herself and her foster toddler.
251: John and his wife are caregivers with four children residing in Norwalk. One of the children is physically disabled and another has been diagnosed with ADHD and has been exposed to trauma in the past, resulting in the need for a lot of support. The children were placed with John, who is their uncle, and his wife as a result of physical and emotional neglect. Prior to the pandemic, John and his wife were employed full time. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, John’s wife was laid off leaving him as the primary financial provider.
The children have been in John’s care for a year and he and his wife have been consistently emotionally and financially supportive to the children, but with this loss of income it has been very challenging to keep up with all the expenses and bills are piling up. The family would benefit from any additional funds to help them during this difficult time. A gift of $300 to help with groceries, utilities, or to offset rent would make a real difference. This family is a great example of how powerful a family unit can be. Having additional resources to support the family would assist in the family continuing to strive for success.
252: Anne and Joe are a young couple that was just housed after living in a shelter for over a year. They have three little girls in pre-school and elementary school. Joe works long hours to meet the basic family needs and Anne stays home with the children. They don’t have enough money to buy clothes and shoes for their little girls, and although they do utilize community resources for these types of items, they don’t always fulfill their needs. A gift of $300 would be of great benefit for them to purchase their little girls much needed clothing.
253: Diana is a resident of the city of Norwalk. She lives with her husband and two children. From March until September, Diana was not working due to the pandemic and the birth of her youngest child. In October, the family contracted the COVID-19 virus and Diana subsequently lost her job in a restaurant. Diana's husband also stopped working for two weeks when he contracted COVID, and as a result, they have had difficulty paying the rent and other bills. A gift of $400 would be very beneficial for the family.
254: May resides in Norwalk and is a single mother of four children between the ages of 4 and 18. Her 9-month-old granddaughter also lives with the family. May is the family's main provider. Since the beginning of the pandemic, May’s hours at work have been reduced, effecting the family income and leading to difficulties making the payments of rent and other bills. A gift of $500 would help this family with the financial challenges they are facing.