Mom hoping to find stable housing

Sally and her family are in a tough spot now, but see a path to a better future ahead.

“Right now, we’re actually in a shelter. We’re actually looking for housing right now, but I go to school at Manna, and they’ve been a big help,” she said.

A new student in Manna on Main Street’s “Common Grounds” program, Sally — which is not her real name, to protect her identity — is working through the free eight-week course that teaches kitchen skills, to those looking to find a new skillset that could lead to a more stable career. Sally has two children, a three-yearold and a two-year-old, and a spat with her landlord at the start of 2022 kicked off what has been a challenging year.

“He was complaining about the noise, as far as the children, so we had a verbal altercation, and he asked me to leave. So I did. This happened at the beginning of the year,” she said.

“The kids have been handling it pretty good — a little better than me, honestly.”

The year has also brought car trouble, which means relying on others to get around, and inflation has made it harder than ever to make ends meet.

“I’m not working, so it’s been difficult, as far as being able to go into stores, and them asking for things, and me not being able to provide for them.”

She’s hopeful that the Manna program will lead to a stable job somewhere in the food service industry, and the job will then make providing for the kids that much easier. Until then, she’s trying to hold things together, and grateful for any help from those who contribute to Operation Holiday.

“We’re positive. We’re just trying to keep up good spirits.”

That’s where Operation Holiday comes in. The program provides food and gifts to help families _Sally

enduring hard times to have a brigher holiday.

Operation Holiday was started in 1991 at The Mercury in Pottstown to help families going through tough times provide something for their children during the holidays. The mission of the program is to make sure there is food on the table and gifts under the tree when Christmas morning comes.

Now in its 32nd year, the program has served thousands of families throughout Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, expanding its reach in recent years to include communities served by the Reading Eagle, The Times Herald, The Reporter, and Daily Local News.

More than $122,000 in donations last year provided food and gifts for 379 children and cash donations to 13 food pantries in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.

This year, Operation Holiday has partnered with 22 agencies in the tri-county area. Agencies have referred 144 families with 375 children for gifts and food and an additional 34 families for food. The program is also assisting the eight families in Pottstown who lost their homes in a devastating explosion in May.

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 who volunteer their time.

Gift cards to area grocery stores are provided to each family for food, so that they can purchase the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry. Weis Markets is a partner with Operation Holiday and has assisted with food purchases and gift cards.

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 so that families can purchase gifts of their choice.

Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by reader contributions. All contributions are tax deductible.

HOW TO DONATE

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. Contributions can be mailed with checks payable to Operation Holiday to PO Box 1181, Pottstown PA 19464; The Reporter, 307 Derstine Ave., Lansdale PA 19446; Operation Holiday, 1440 Lacrosse Ave., Reading, PA 19607.

The names of all contributors are published in the participating newspapers as donations are received. Please note whether a contribution should be designated as anonymous or given in tribute or in memory of someone.

“I’m not working, so it’s been difficult, as far as being able to go into stores, and them asking for things, and me not being able to provide for them.”