Mom, son experience homelessness during pandemic

The past few months have been especially difficult for Sally and her 2- yearold son, Benjamin.

“It was pretty bad,” Sally said in a recent interview.

Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, she lost her job and ended up in a domestic violence shelter as the COVID- 19 pandemic began to intensify.

Sally said that “everybody had to leave the shelter” due to health and safety concerns associated with the pandemic.

“[ We] didn’t have a place to go so we were basically homeless,” Sally said.

Originally from Montgomery County, the two moved back to the area in the summer. Most recently, Sally began training as a pet groomer. While the public health crisis has affected her family, Sally continues to do the best she can for her son as he adjusts in day care.

“I guess he’s doing the best he can do,” she said.

While Sally said Benjamin is not at the age where he needs tons of presents, the two hope to embrace holiday traditions. She said she hopes to get him some new clothes. Some of his favorite things are cars and dogs.

Every year, Operation Holiday helps families like Sally’s.

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.