Adopt a Stocking: Single mother of two trying to overcome setbacks

Nov. 29—LIMA — A Lima woman attempting to provide a merry Christmas for her two young sons is finding that to be a daunting goal this year.

Sarah, 26, a single mom, is out of work after the period for temporary transportation services provided by the Allen County Job and Family Services Agency expired earlier this year. Sarah, who has never had a driver’s license, was forced to abandon driver’s education classes due to the cost when she could no longer get to and from her previous job. Without reliable transportation, driver’s training seemed like an unnecessary expense at the time.

With the holidays inching closer, a modest lighted tree was erected in the family’s apartment the week before Thanksgiving, but currently, there are no gifts under it. Sarah is hoping that can change.

Sarah and her kids reside in a government-subsidized apartment complex on the north side of Lima. Last year she worked at a McDonald’s restaurant, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the restaurant located within walking distance of her home. Instead, it was a site on Harding Highway, several miles away. Transportation help Sarah once received became sparse after her mother started working full time.

The lack of a job has made life difficult for Sarah, but her struggles actually started when her oldest son’s father died nearly four years ago in what has been classified by law enforcement as a murder/suicide.

“We will never know what really happened because two of the three people involved are gone,” Sarah said.

Sarah and her son’s father lived together for a time but ultimately parted “when he put his hands on me” in a domestic disturbance. She lived in a women’s shelter for several months, followed by a brief period where she lived with her mother. She has been on her own for two years now, picking up odd babysitting jobs and occasionally helping her mother clean out houses to earn money. She would like a more permanent income — anything from retail to fast food or factory work is fine — but caring for 2-year-old son Seth is currently a full-time commitment and daycare is cost prohibitive. Her older son Joseph goes to preschool each day and transportation is provided by the West Ohio Community Action Partnership, or WOCAP.

“I have been struggling this year,” Sarah admits. “It’s been hard trying to keep the kids happy. I mean, they’re pretty happy overall but it hurts when they see other kids with stuff they can’t have. It would mean a lot to them if we could get some assistance from the community.”

Joseph wears size 6 shirts, size 5T pants and size 1 shoes. Seth is a 3T/4T in shirts and pants and wears a size 10 baby shoe. Joseph loves Monsters Inc., trucks and dinosaurs while Seth is fond of balls, bears and SpongeBob SquarePants. Both boys like books and Sarah loves to read to them.

Sarah herself could use some snow boots, size 9-10 wide, and is always in need of household items such as pots, pans, pillows, silverware and cleaning supplies.

ADOPT A STOCKING

The Adopt a Stocking Fund benefits families during the holiday season. Monetary donations can be given online at give.salvationarmy.org/stocking or via Adopt A Stocking; c/o The Salvation Army; P.O. Box 234, Lima, OH 45801. All material donations for a specific family should be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 614 E. Market St., Lima, and should include a copy of the article or the date the story appeared in The Lima News. See past stories at LimaOhio.com/tag/stocking.

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