Glenda's Story
Can you imagine being a successful single woman, able to support yourself, buy nice things, and just enjoy life? So could Glenda. Life was good. But in 2017, things changed very suddenly. Glenda’s sister passed away unexpectedly, leaving behind six children. One day Glenda was single and carefree, the next she was the mother of six! She felt overwhelmed. She had no idea how to be a mother, how to deal with schools, doctors, schedules, new bills, the needs of the children, the legal issues, and she felt paralyzed by it all.
A school counselor suggested that Glenda call The Salvation Army and there she met her Pathway of Hope caseworker, Cynthia. Glenda stressed to me that Cynthia didnot just give her tasks or suggestions, Cynthia sat with her and walked her through steps of each thing she needed to do. Cynthia took the time to listen and assess the situation and developed a plan with Glenda on what needed to be done for this family. Finally, Glenda had direction.
The children needed social security cards and birth certificates for school and other programs. Cynthia and Glenda went to Legal Aid together and learned how to access
the records and started adoption papers for the children. The children needed clothing, and The Salvation Army helped to provide what they needed.
There were many more bills, higher bills than what a single woman had and they needed paid! Together The Salvation Army and Glenda applied for help where Glenda was eligible and The Salvation Army was able to assist with her utility bills. Glenda shared, "Cynthia just kept reminding me, it is going to be okay. She was calm, stable, and reassuring. She was always there, sometimes I just needed to talk to someone."
The Salvation Army was there for Christmas with gifts for the kids, they were there for school supplies for back to school, they supplied coats in winter. When Glenda was hospitalized, The Salvation Army caseworker visited her. When she needed medication, the case worker worked with a Pharmacy to get the price of her medications reduced and some were even free.
Glenda reflected that The Salvation Army was important to her financially. But, it was far more than that. They taught her to budget, they taught her to shop for the best deals, they taught her to ask questions. She said, “They taught me to lean on my faith. They gave me direction and hope. I was no longer alone. I honestly don’t know if I would have made it through the dark days with The Salvation Army. They were my support when no one else was there. Today I am a confident mother who can stretch a dollar, portion out groceries, and both ends are meeting. I am looking at going back to school, Cynthia has given me the information I need to apply for school and I want to become a nurse. I feel good about who I have become."