Life was
going well for *Mike and *Sherry. They had good jobs with benefits, enjoyed
spending time with Mike’s young daughter as much as they could, and had made
their rental house a home. But one
After a fire
destroyed their home and all their belongings, Mike and Sherry began the
painful and emotional process of determining their next steps. Thankfully, they
were insured, but as is often the case, they encountered a lot of red tape and
a prolonged period of time to sort through all the details. In the meantime,
deposits were being requested for utilities and a new place to live; in
addition to needing money for household items, furniture, and clothing. Mike
and Sherry knew financial help would come; the question was when and how much.
Having never
faced such dire financial circumstances, the couple found it difficult to reach
out for help. But finally, in desperation, Mike and Sherry came to Catholic
Charities and shared their story through many tears. Hugs were given – as was
financial assistance to help with monthly bills – and the couple was reassured
they are not in this battle alone and we would do whatever we could to help
them through the next few difficult months.
Catholic
Charities was able to assist with a utility bill, help feed them through the
Table of Blessings,
share produce from gracious local growers, and connect them with a generous
donor with furniture to share.
Mike and
Sherry have since received their insurance settlement and came to our office
with a generous donation to “pay back” what was given to them. While this is
always welcomed and appreciated, we aren’t looking to be “paid back” and are
confident that Mike and Sherry simply want to “pay it forward” so Catholic
Charities can continue to help someone else in a similar crisis.
Mike shared
with us, “I never realized that strangers could really care about us until we
came to your door.” And that is the most important work we do throughout the
year – create hope.
*Not
real names
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