Doing All He Can To Provide For His Family
It is getting closer to Christmas and a father is trying all he can to provide for his family, but it is becoming apparent he is going to have to do something different this year. He has never had to ask for help before, he has always been able to provide for his four boys; but this year is different – this year is hard.
He is a father who takes pride in providing for his family, he has put gifts under the tree for over 15 years. Money isn’t there like in years past, inflation has cut into their personal finances deep - what can you do when the cost of everything goes up, but your pay stays the same.
Here he is, a father trying to do all he can to provide for his family. He calls The Salvation Army, but he is late, it is already December, Angel Tree sign-ups ended weeks ago. Staff take his information and share "we will place you on the waitlist and if resources become available, we will give you a call,” in the meantime we take all the information we need for him and the boys.
That same evening it is becoming clear, due to the outpouring of community generosity, we, The Salvation Army, will be able to provide for everyone on our waitlist and so staff and volunteers stay late and begins to call the families on the wait list.
The phone rings, the caller ID says, “The Salvation Army Bloomington Indiana,” the call he has been waiting on is now lighting up his phone. Thanks to the generosity of his community, he will be able to provide Christmas for his boys. Through broken English, but in a language we all seem to understand, he weeps with gratitude knowing that he has indeed done all he can to provide for his family.
The Salvation Army of Bloomington provided gifts to 750 children this Christmas. Behind all 750 of those blessings is an army of donors who have made a commitment to serve those in need through The Salvation Army. People who they may never meet, stories they may never know; but whose lives are forever changed.