Mother of 4 working and studying to be a nurse

It’s been a challenge for Charlotte to navigate through life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past several months have been “emotionally” and “mentally” difficult for the mother of four kids ages 11, 7, 6, and 5 years old, respectively.

Charlotte does work study in enrollment services at Montgomery County Community College and is getting her nursing degree.

In addition to taking her own classes online, her four children are participating in a virtual learning environment.

She said learning virtually has been “affecting the kids” and her “5-yearold son [is] starting school for the first time virtually.”

In addition to the mental stress, Charlotte acknowledged the ongoing financial stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, she said two of her children’s birthdays are coming up and she doesn’t “know what I’m gonna do.”

However, with her work study position, she said she’s thankful that she’s still able to do something.

As for her children, Charlotte said “they’re doing the best they can. It’s still tough on them.”

As the holiday season begins, Charlotte said that her kids want gifts that they can use to be active outside including bicycles, scooters and roller skates.

Operation Holiday helps families like Charlotte’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.