11.20.2008

Give Santa A Hand - Part 2

I would love to share with my readers some of the nominees for Give Santa A Hand - you can find out more by clicking here. They have been listed as family 1, 2, etc.. Once we have all of the nominees in I will ask my readers to send an email to helpsanta@nowwhatbaby.com letting me know the number of the family you would most like to see receive some extra help this holiday season. I will be adding new family's so please keep checking back.

Family 1
My daughter works with a girl who is a single mother of a 7 yr old son with ADHD. He is on a lot of medications. This girl works so hard to provide for her son. She herself has some illness where she is on Chemotherapy for it. My daughter says she cries a lot about her situation. Her former husband quit his job so he cant pay child support. She has no family that live anywhere near her. She is 26 yrs old and she makes just a few cents over the min wage. She works over as much as she can,but she is limited as how much she can work because she has no one to watch her son and can't afford to pay. My daughter told me about her last night and said that her and her son have no where to go on Thanksgiving. So I told her to invite her to my house with my family an friends so she wouldn't be alone. She is trying to work with herself sick and alone with a son. She only wants for him,not for herself. Her main worry is providing for her son. My daughter told me that she got assistance from the state to get a 2 bedroom apartment but she can't because she doesn't have the money to get the utilities turned on. My daughter said last night "you don't know how good you have it until you talk to someone like this". I'm praying that she can get some happiness this holiday season from strangers who really do care. God Bless.

Family 2
I'd love to nominate my brother and his family. I know they have a lot of pride & wouldn't do this for themselves. But help this Christmas is just what they need. They are the least judgmental people I know and they constantly want to give rather than receive. They lost their home last year due to skyrocketing payments. They were able to sell it, but they made no money. They at least got out from under the payments. But, just in enough time for his job to go south. The economic times are very hard on the computer industry. They are barely making ends meet right now with 2 little boys that suffer from terrible asthma and one with a horrible food allergy. After normal bills each month, then all the medicine, they have no money for extras. Groceries alone are hard to come by. I know my brother lies awake at night worried about just much heartache is next. To see him in so much agony and worry, really tugs on my heart. If I was in a better position, I'd buy those boys the world for Christmas. To me, there's no better joy on Christmas than to see the eyes of children and the magic it brings to them.

Family 3
Hi there, I would like to send you my story as we could use a bit of help this holiday season. The last 2 years have been hard for us as my husband is in the construction industry and with things slowing down as far as the housing market, our work does as well. I have 3 children - 2 girls (4 and 20 months) and 1 boy(2 months). Last year my children each received a couple toys that were things I had messed up when doing orders for others and a pair of hand me down pajamas, this year doesn't even look that good. Right now they will each get a stocking cap that I am knitting with yarn that was given to me and that is all. My 4 year old has been asking for anything she sees but she really wants a Barbie. She talks about Santa as they are learning about holidays in preschool and has told me that she will get a new toy for sure this year because Santa will bring it to her. It puts tears in my eyes and breaks my heart because I don't know if I can make that happen. Our family lives across the state and we are not even able to go visit and times are tough for them as well, so its not even for sure they will have any gifts to give this year. More than anything I want my children to remember the fun of the holidays not their mom crying because she can't even provide for them.

Family 4
I would like to nominate my niece and her family. She is 27 and has 5 children - a stepson (11 & he is autistic),a boy (4), a girl (3), and a set of twins - a boy an a girl (1). Her husband does work but at a low paying job. My niece has been ill with a brain dysfunction,they think its a tumor but cant find it. She has been in and out of the hospital a lot lately, so the dad had to stay home from work to care for the kids. She is on a lot of seizure medications, so she cant drive and get out much. She doesn't have Internet or cell phones or any luxury items. She is home sick with the kids. The oldest had to call a ambulance for her when she had her last seizure and she was in the hospital for over a week that time.

Family 5
I'd like to nominate my best friends family for give Santa a hand. They are hosting a boy named Misha who is an orphan from Russia and is disabled. He's just gone through surgery to amputate both of his legs from the knee down. They are asking for donations and trying to save as much money as they can to be able to adopt him, it will cost $27,000. With all the saving, Christmas isn't going to be on their mind much this year. The Johnson's have 8 children total, the two oldest girls are married and live away from home but that still leaves six in the house along with Misha. A lot of people might wonder why they would adopt another child when they already have so many. Misha asked Mr. Johnson that same question, Mr. Johnson's reply was "If you had lots of gold, and someone offered you more, you wouldn't turn it down. My children are my gold." I would love for them to be able to have a good Christmas. If anyone is interested in hearing more about them you or donating to help Misha be able to become a Johnson can go over the helpmisha.com.

Family 6
I am a stay at home mother of 4 children. My husband is a hard worker...he works as many hours as he possibly can. A few months back he was asked to take a layoff or take a MAJOR pay cut. He knew jobs were hard to find so he took the MAJOR paycut...well since then they have had 2 more layoffs and plan on another next week...sadly, his name is next on the list and he found out that even though he took a pay cut it isn't going to save him. We are already behind on all our bills from last month...and this month...Our water and power are close to being cut off...along with our phone and my van is soon to be repossesed...so we haven't had the money to buy our kids anything for Christmas. Our children are 7, 4, 3, and 15 months (all girls but the youngest is a boy). I would be so happy to have this off my mind. I cry because I stay stressed out all the time...nowhere to turn and I don't want my kids to have to do without Christmas. I would be so happy to not have to worry about if my kids were going to have Christmas or not.

Family #7
I would normally never dream of nominating my own family, but due to extreme economic hardship this year I am willing to swallow my pride and nominate my 2 children. I have 2 amazing little boys ages 1 year old, and an "almost" 6 year old. I had to stop working due to illness that has been keeping me down for close to 2 years and the Doctors have yet to find an answer, therefore we slimmed down to one car and I became a stay-at-home mom. Financially all was well, until about 7 months ago when my husbands company had to lay him off in what was their first lay off EVER! We struggled to get by with the little money he recieved from Unemployment and "side jobs" he could find while also looking for a new job and loans from friends and family. He was finally called back to work after 3 1/2 months, only to be laid off again 2 months ago. We are still drowning in debt from the first layoff and have struggled to keep life as normal as possible for our children while having episodes with no utilities, very little food, and on the verge of losing our apartment and car. Thankfully my husband was called back into work again starting this week and he is also still looking for more stable employment, but we will definitely not be able to catch up enough to give our boys the Christmas that they deserve.
I feel awful even having to write this, as I am used to being the one on the other end of the spectrum, trying to find ways to help out others in need and teach my children to be charitable and that it is our responsibilty in life to give back to others. But for the first time ever, I am humbled in being the one in need.



Santa's Elves have generously helped to provide gifts for the deserving family. Please take a moment to visit their sites because without them this wouldn't be possible. Have something you would like to contribute? Please email me at helpsanta@nowwhatbaby.com
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would like to nominate Family #8.

Thanks.

Unknown said...

It is so heartbreaking to see so many families in need! My thoughts and prayers are with all of you! Good luck! :)
Danielle

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