Mrs. S. is a recently divorced mother getting S.N.A.P. payments (food stamps). She has two kids and a car that occasionally starts. She dropped out of high school in the eleventh grade and worked as a sales clerk for a number of employers before getting married five years later.
Simply put, Mrs. S.’s husband just disappeared one day. Because the authorities were unable to find him, there is no child support. Her two adolescent children hold her responsible for their father’s abandonment of the family. They are struggling at school. Right now, the entire family is receiving counseling. Mrs. S. wants to rejoin the workforce. She has had multiple job offers as a sales clerk at various mall establishments thus far. Because the jobs are all part-time and, more crucially, because new hires are always given weekend and evening shifts, she is hesitant to accept them. She worries about abandoning her kids in an upsetting situation. Mrs. S. is feeling helpless as the bills mount up.
Her friend advised her to get in touch with Catholic Charities. After a few days, Mrs. S. finally called to set up a meeting with a case worker. Mrs. S.’s budget was examined by the case worker, who also recommended her to take a part-time job. Although the case worker acknowledged her worries, she advised her to raise them with the manager because she believed they would seek to limit her weekend and evening schedules as much as possible. They also talked about how starting a job again would give Mrs. S. the critically needed sense of self-worth and dignity. The case worker also suggested the family continue seeking counseling.
Catholic Charities was able to help the family by giving them food, food vouchers, some clothing, and aid with a gas company disconnection notice.
Mrs. S. agreed to work part-time at a local shop. Mrs. S. was able to make it through till she received her first salary thanks to the aid Catholic Charities offered. Although she is still not “out of the woods,” she feels that she finally has a reason to be hopeful because of the actions she is taking and the help she is receiving from Catholic Charities.
Learn more about supporting low-income families with young children here
